


Sensory Processing

by songsforfelurian



Series: Deep Pressure [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Developing Relationship, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Hunk is still amazing about it, Keith still has a sensory processing disorder, M/M, Oral Sex, Sexual Experimentation, except with orgasms this time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-08-29 16:00:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 35,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16747075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/songsforfelurian/pseuds/songsforfelurian
Summary: This is a sequel to my original fic about Hunk and Keith, Deep Pressure. It picks up exactly where that one leaves off, so if you haven't read it, start there first!This sequel will explore the developing relationship between these two, including aspects of explicit physical intimacy.





	1. Fired Up

**Author's Note:**

> Let's celebrate 100 kudos with some new content, shall we? Please let me know if you like it!

_“Keith?”_

_“Mm?”_

_“Does this still feel okay?”_

Keith inhaled slowly, still resting his chin on Hunk’s shoulder, analyzing the feeling of Hunk’s hands pressing against the bare skin of his back. Hunk’s left hand was resting between his shoulder blades, applying firm, steady pressure, and Hunk’s right hand was supporting his lower back, rubbing slow, uniform circles into the muscles there. Keith’s shirt was still on, though it was riding up on his hips and stomach, because of the way Hunk had slipped his hands underneath it.

 _“It feels really good,”_ Keith said, because it did. Hunk’s hands were huge, and warm, and impossibly strong, and the pressure was just right. Keith was caught somewhere between contentment and excitement, trying to decide if he wanted to doze in Hunk’s arms, or practice kissing Hunk’s mouth, some more.

Kissing felt really good, too.

 _“So… do you want to take your shirt off?”_ Hunk’s voice was so quiet, Keith couldn’t decipher his tone. _“I mean, if you think it would feel good…?”_

 _“Oh… um…”_ Keith thought about it. He _did_ want to take his shirt off, but he wasn’t sure what was supposed to come after that. More kissing? More touching? What if Hunk wanted to do things he didn’t know how to do? What if he didn’t _like_ the things Hunk wanted to do? Would Hunk want to take his shirt off, too? What if someone came in here and found them like that? What if-

“Keith?” Hunk had leaned back from him. Hunk’s hands were on his hips, now, over his clothes. Keith realized his body had gone rigid of its own accord, and he made an effort to relax his shoulders.

“Sorry,” he said. “I was just… thinking.”

Hunk nodded. “That’s okay.”

“It’s just… what if someone comes in here?”

“Someone came and gave me an exam right before I texted you. They said they wouldn’t be back until tomorrow morning. But it’s okay, though! We don’t have to… I mean we can _wait_ , or-”

“No.” Keith shook his head. “We can try it.”

He pulled his hands away from Hunk’s shoulders and took hold of the hem of his own shirt. He hesitated.

“Dim lights,” Hunk called. The computer complied, and the overhead lights dimmed from painfully bright to a pale glow. “Better? I mean, it’s not like I don’t want to see you, or anything… obviously I really, really do… I just thought, y’know, I don’t really love getting undressed under really bright lights like that, so…”

He’d let go of Keith’s hips and moved one hand to the back of his own neck. He’d shifted his gaze from Keith’s face, too.

 _Nervous_ , Keith guessed. _For me or for himself?_

“Why not?” he asked.

“Ha… uh…” Hunk met Keith’s eye again and gestured vaguely in his direction. “I don’t exactly have the whole _physique_ thing working for me, y’know?”

“What do you mean?”

Hunk was fully blushing, now.

_Shit. Wrong question._

“I mean, I don’t hate my body, or anything,” Hunk backpedaled. “But I never know what other people will think of it. I mean, not everyone likes… people who look like me.”

“I do.”

Hunk broke into a smile.

“Thanks. That’s… that’s really nice.”

“No. It’s not _nice_ … it’s just… true. _Nice_ is not my strength.”

Hunk giggled. “You’re kidding, right? That thing with the drone? That’s, like, the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

Keith felt his own cheeks starting to flush, too. He let go of the hem of his shirt, feeling like the moment had passed.

“Okay. Fair point.”

“Speaking of… do you need to send that thing back to the mothership?”

“Oh… yeah, I probably should…”

Keith slid off of the bed, put the headset back on, and picked up the controller.

“Anything else you want to see before I set the autopilot?”

“Show me the beach one more time?”

“Sure.”

Keith took the drone high into the sky so Hunk could see the vastness of the sea in the distance as he navigated toward it.

“Do you like the ocean?” Hunk asked.

“Yeah. Mostly at night… I get sunburns… but I like the smell, and the way the waves sound.”

“Me too.”

Keith took the drone on a sweeping tour of the coastline. It was a beautiful day, on the other side of the world.

“Okay,” Hunk eventually said, sniffling a little bit, again. “You should probably kill it before I lose my shit.”

Keith set the drone to autopilot and watched it change course of its own accord, navigating itself back toward the military base Shiro had requisitioned it from. He switched off the headset and removed the receiver from the viewscreen, then set them down on the table next to the bed.

“Thanks, Keith.” Hunk was looking at him, now. Keith could still make out the warm brown of his eyes, even in the dim light. “You’re sweet, even if you don’t think so.”

Keith filed this comment away for further consideration. He was still mulling over what Hunk had told him about getting undressed under the bright lights. He’d concluded that Hunk was self-conscious, a notion that he found shocking. Hunk had always seemed so confident in himself. Comfortable. Keith knew what it was like to be anxious, and he’d never noticed Hunk showing any signs of a similar struggle.

Though, he remembered, Shiro often told him that he masked his own anxiety well. Maybe Hunk was good at masking his, too, and if that was true, he needed to try to put Hunk at ease.

So he pulled his own shirt off, folded it, and set it down on the chair.

“Oh,” Hunk breathed. “Wow.”

Keith fidgeted with his hands in front of his stomach.

“Does that mean something good?”

“Uh huh. Yes. _Good_ is an understatement. _Good_ is, like, barely in the ballpark.”

Keith let out a small laugh. “You’ve seen me with my shirt off before.”

“Well, yeah, but I try not to check out my friends. Even if I want to.”

“You wanted to check me out?”

Hunk giggled. “Uh… you’ve seen yourself, right?” Keith glanced down at his torso. Hunk giggled again. “You’re all… y’know… muscled and hot and… yeah. I definitely have a thing for people who can a-hundred-percent kick my ass.”

Keith laughed. “I wouldn’t, though.”

“Even if I wanted you to?”

Hunk was wearing a teasing smile, but Keith wasn’t sure if he was actually kidding or not.

“Uh… we could negotiate terms, I guess?”

Hunk nodded. “Sweet. So… you wanna play some video games, or what?”

 

* * *

 

“You should totally use the Groovitron.”

“Seriously?”

“Uh huh! Toss that funky disco ball! You can take out that whole group at once!”

“I don’t think I’ve _ever_ used the Groovitron.”

“DUDE. It’s, like, the _best_ weapon. C’mon. Just try it.”

Keith smiled to himself. He equipped the weapon Hunk was referring to, tossed a disco ball into the melee of enemies in front of him, and watched as they all started doing a choreographed dance, suddenly oblivious to his presence.

He laughed out loud.

“That’s _ridiculous._ ”

“Kill ‘em, dude! Hit ‘em with grenades or something!”

“Oh! Right…”

Keith equipped a different weapon and set about the _very_ satisfying task of annihilating his cartoon enemies. He leaned back against Hunk’s chest – Hunk’s legs were on either side of him; Hunk’s arms were wrapped snugly around his stomach – and he let out a small, involuntary, contented sigh. Hunk tightened his arms for a second in a gesture that Keith interpreted as an affectionate squeeze.

“This is really fun,” Keith said. “Thank you for setting this up.”

“You’re welcome, but… I have another confession.”

“Uh oh. Spill it.”

“So, _yeah_ , I was trying to do something nice for you… but I was also kinda, maybe, sorta trying to entice you to hang out with me.”

Keith laughed. “I was already enticed.”

“Mm. Apparently so.”

He felt Hunk’s lips make contact with his bare shoulder: warm pressure for the span of a breath.

“Uh. Sorry… should I ask before I do that?”

“No,” Keith murmured. “You don’t have to ask. And you can do it again, if you want.”

Hunk did.

“Or… like… a bunch of times.”

Hunk didn’t hesitate. He left a trail of kisses along Keith’s shoulder, working his way inward. He paused, then pressed a slow, sustained kiss against Keith’s neck.

Keith paused the game.

Hunk kissed him there again.

Keith set the controller aside.

_“Keith?”_

_“Uh huh?”_

_“Earlier… when we were, like, kissing, and stuff… I thought you might’ve been… I mean, it seemed like you were getting a little… fired up?”_

Keith swallowed.

_“Yeah. I was.”_

_“Okay. Because I was, too, and I wasn’t sure if that was okay with you or not, so I just wanted to… check.”_

Keith moved one of his hands onto Hunk’s arm and held on.

_“It’s okay with me. I… I felt like that before, too. After we were hanging out in your quarters.”_

_“Really?”_

_“Yeah.”_

Hunk let out a breath.

_“Okay. Good. Me too.”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“Yeah.”_

Keith felt a flare of excitement.

_He likes this. He likes me._

He pulled one of Hunk’s arms away from his stomach, took hold of his hand, and squeezed his fingers, like Hunk had done for him. He couldn’t get his hand all the way around them – his hands weren’t particularly small; Hunk’s were just _massive_ – but it didn’t seem to matter. Hunk let out a small, contented sigh.

_“Feels good?”_

_“Uh huh. Really good.”_

Keith held on for another moment, then shifted his hold and started massaging Hunk’s palm with his thumb.

 _“Oh,”_ Hunk breathed.

_“Good?”_

_“Yeah. Uh… can you do that really slow?”_

Keith smiled to himself. He slowed his pace.

_“You like things slow?”_

_“Mm. Some things.”_ Hunk pressed another kiss against Keith’s neck. _“Not everything, though.”_

 _“Okay. Well…”_ Keith moved his thumb to the inside of Hunk’s wrist and started massaging there, instead, much more lightly. _“You can just let me know how you like it.”_

 _“You too.”_ Hunk flattened his other hand against Keith’s stomach. He started moving his thumb in slow, firm circles. _“I want to know what feels good.”_

Keith barely heard him. His mind was wholly focused on the feeling of Hunk’s hand, pressing against his belly. Heat had already been pooling there, somewhere deep, and it was spreading, now, an aching warmth that was telling him to move his hips… so he did. He rolled them involuntarily, just a little bit, and Hunk made a small noise, then pressed up against his lower back in a slow, subtle grind.

_Oh._

Hunk was hard. Keith could feel it, because of the way he was pressed up against Hunk’s lap, because of the way that they were leaning into each other. Keith rolled his hips again, because he was hard, too, and because that was what his body was telling him to do.

_“Keith…”_

Hunk pulled his left hand out of Keith’s grasp and used it to move his hair away from the right side of his neck, granting himself better access. He placed a lingering kiss there, and then another one, hotter and wetter than the first-

 _“Mh-_ ”

It felt _good_. The heat, the pressure, the momentary wetness – not too much, just enough – along with the knowledge that Hunk’s tongue had just grazed his skin…

 _“More,”_ Keith managed, though he was having trouble concentrating, because Hunk’s palm was pressed against his lower belly, now, which meant that two of his fingers were resting on top of the waistband of his pants.

Hunk kissed him slowly again – Keith felt his tongue for the briefest moment, caressing his skin – and Keith groped for something to hold onto, settling for Hunk’s thigh, which was pressed up against him, holding him in place…

He _throbbed_. He pressed himself down against the bed, an involuntary grind in response to the collection of kisses Hunk was leaving all over his neck, to the way Hunk’s hand kept sliding further down his belly-

_“Keith?”_

_“Mh?”_

_“Tell me right away if you need me to stop.”_

_“Don’t,”_ Keith breathed, tilting his head back to press their cheeks together, resting all of his weight on Hunk’s chest. _“Don’t stop.”_

Hunk’s hand slid _all the way down,_ until it came to rest on top of Keith’s stiffening erection.

Keith hummed from deep in his throat.

He rolled his hips, chasing pressure and friction.

_“Hunk.”_

_“Too much?”_

_“Not enough.”_

Hunk made a low, rumbling sound that vibrated pleasantly against Keith’s back. He used his fingertips to find the outline of Keith’s length, and then he _squeezed_ , pressing his thumb against the head of his cock through two layers of fabric-

 _“Ah-_ ” Keith let slip, his eyes squeezed shut, his fingertips digging into the hard muscle of Hunk’s thigh.

 _“Keith, I… I know you’re still healing-_ ”

 _“Mh- no, I- I’m cleared for physical activity starting tomorrow…_ ”

_“Oh… okay, so… do you want me to touch you?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Under your clothes?”_

_“Yeah.”_

Keith felt a small shiver go through Hunk’s body.

He throbbed against Hunk’s palm.

_He likes this. He likes me._

Hunk let him go, fumbled, one-handed, with the waistband of his pants and the thin, black shorts he was wearing underneath, and then slid his hand inside. It was clumsily done, and some distant, still-sentient part of Keith’s mind marveled at the fact that he didn’t care, that his body was welcoming the varied, unexpected levels of touch and pressure, that his excitement was eclipsing his discomfort, that he was _free_ , in this moment-

Hunk took hold of his cock and _stroked._

 _“Hhah-_ ”

 _“Keith… you feel so good…_ ”

Hunk moved his hand in a series of strokes, sliding Keith’s foreskin over his sensitive head, pausing briefly to spread his precum with his thumb-

Keith arched against Hunk’s chest, watching stars shimmer behind his closed eyelids. He had done this by himself, of course, but it had never felt like _this_. Every time Hunk moved his hand, he felt the pulsing pleasure blooming deep in his core, then spreading outward to the rest of his body, as if he were being submerged in the sensation. He felt deliciously warm and intermittently electric, like his nerve endings were sparking, like there was a current flowing into his body through Hunk’s touch-

 _“Mh- more-_ ” he breathed, leaning his temple against the side of Hunk’s head.

_“Faster?”_

He nodded.

Hunk kissed his cheek, slid his left arm across his chest, and then picked up the pace.

Keith lost control of the sounds he was making. He grabbed onto Hunk’s arm and held on tight enough that he should’ve felt his fingers aching. He didn’t, though, because whole body was busy thrumming in time with the movement of Hunk’s hand.

He bit down on his lower lip as his hips started to tense; he dug his heels into the mattress as his feet started to flex; he started nodding involuntarily along with each pulse of pressure that was building at his core; he stopped breathing entirely as he arrived at the cliff Hunk had been steering him toward-

…and then he promptly fell right over it, spilling all over Hunk’s hand, pressing his face against Hunk’s cheek, coming in a series of sustained pulses that left him dizzy and drifting and panting in Hunk’s arms.

Hunk held him tight while he rode it out, then stroked him lightly through the aftershocks, prolonging the euphoria, dragging him through lingering beats of sensation-

 _“Ah- mh- mm…_ ”

Keith slipped into one more bout of tension, then unflexed his feet, loosened his hold on Hunk’s arm, and relaxed in Hunk’s hold. He took a shaky breath.

“Wow… okay… that was _so_ hot…” Hunk murmured. “Thank you for letting me do that.”

Keith let out a small laugh.

“I think I’m the one who’s supposed to say thank you.”

Hunk gave him a small squeeze.

“It was okay?”

“Yeah, I… I…”

Keith found that his thoughts were disorganized. He felt hot, all of a sudden – too hot, and sweaty where Hunk’s bare arm was holding his chest. And he was _wet_ and _sticky_ between his thighs, and his heart was beating uncomfortably fast-

 _Shit._ He was getting dysregulated.

He sat up.

Hunk took the hint; he maneuvered his hand out of Keith’s pants and let go of him altogether. Keith felt immediate relief, layered on top of the embarrassment and regret that were already putting pressure on his ribcage, making it hard for him to breathe.

It wasn’t supposed to go like this. He knew that. And still, he couldn’t stop himself.

He slid off of the bed. He tried to force himself to look at Hunk’s face, but the hints of concern he found there put him further on edge. He looked down at the floor.

“Can I use your bathroom?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

He moved to the far corner of the room, stepped into the bathroom, and shut the door behind him.

_Shit._

_Shit, shit, shit._

He was making a colossal mess of things. He just needed to get cleaned up, to get his heart rate under control. He could fix this as soon as he felt better, as soon as he could stop the incessant _buzzing_ in the back of his mind that told him he was _sticky_ and _sweaty_ and _gross_ and _fucking things up_ with the ONE person he did NOT want to fuck things up with.

_SHIT._

He stripped off his pants and boxers and assessed the damage. His cum had soaked through both; he couldn’t imagine putting either of them back on.

_FUCK._

He closed his eyes, leaned against the sink, and started counting his breaths in groups of ten, trying to stave off the panic.

He managed to count ten groups before Hunk finally knocked on the door.

_“Keith? I grabbed a change of clothes from your room, okay?”_

Keith exhaled in a calming rush. _Of course_ , Hunk knew exactly what he needed. _Of course_ , Hunk would figure out how to be sweet, and thoughtful, and _perfect_ , while Keith was busy dissolving into a sticky, sweaty _disaster._

He stared at himself in the mirror, trying to erase the scowl from his face.

“I’m sorry,” he said, loud enough for Hunk to hear him through the door. “I’m an asshole.”

_“Can you open the door?”_

He sighed. He opened the door, just enough to see Hunk’s face.

“You’re not an asshole,” Hunk said. His expression was soft. “As long as we’re still cool.”

“We are,” Keith said. “I swear. I just need to get cleaned up.”

“You want to take a shower?”

“You don’t mind?”

“’Course not. Take your time.”

Hunk passed the stack of clothes through the crack in the doorway. Keith ran his thumb over the soft fabric for a moment, thinking.

“Will you hang out with me in here?”

Hunk flashed him a genuine smile.

“Sure.”

“Okay. Just give me a couple minutes before you come in.”

He shut the door and set the stack of clothes down on the sink. He switched on the shower and turned up the temperature until it was _hot_ , then stepped inside, pulling the curtain closed behind him. He pumped some all-purpose cleansing foam into his palm from the dispenser attached to the wall, trying to ignore the sterile fragrance of it. He’d used this same soap earlier in his own shower; the smell hadn’t lingered once he’d rinsed it off. He felt himself stabilizing as soon he was covered in suds, and he took several deep, calming breaths.

_Everything’s fine. You’re going to be okay. You need to be okay, for him._

He heard the door open and close as Hunk stepped into the room.

“Hey,” Hunk said. “Feeling any better?”

“Yeah, I am. I’m really sorry, Hunk. I just got dysregulated.”

“Because of what we did? Or because it got a little… messy?”

Keith fought off another wave of regret.

_Damage control. Reassure him._

“The second one. The first part was amazing.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It was like…”

Keith finished rinsing his body clean, trying to think of a fair comparison. Something that Hunk would understand. Something that would let him know how much Keith had enjoyed what had happened between them.

“It was like the first time I flew a jet,” he finally said. “Like, the first time I actually left the ground, instead of just practicing in a sim.”

“Seriously?”

“Uh huh.”

“Wow. That’s… awesome.”

Keith had decided to scrub some foam through his hair, too, since it was already getting wet from the spray of the shower. He finished rinsing it and then peeked around the shower curtain so he could talk directly to Hunk, who was leaning against the opposite wall.

“ _You’re_ awesome,” Keith said, with all the sincerity he could muster.

Hunk broke into a grin. “You really liked it?”

“Uh… I completely destroyed my boxers, so…” Keith returned his smile, teasing.

“Well, yeah, I know, but I meant… you liked that _I_ did it?”

Keith nodded. “I’ve never known anyone else I wanted to do that with.”

Hunk’s smile softened. “That’s a really big deal. That means a lot to me.”

Keith chewed the inside of his cheek, deliberating.

“Give me a sec?”

“Sure.”

He closed the shower curtain, leaned against the wall, and did a quick body scan. He was well-regulated and calm, which was surprising, given the course of action he was currently considering. It didn’t seem like he’d caused any sort of permanent rift between them, but he was going to make up for bailing on Hunk, regardless.

It had been like this all his life, he thought. Every time he found himself in a new situation, he was at a disadvantage until he uncovered all the sensory challenges he was likely to come up against. He was vulnerable, until he learned how to cope or compensate, and there were times when other people got caught in the mess of it, too.

He always learned, though. He’d learned how to fly, how to fight, how to pilot Voltron as a member of a team. He’d even learned how to have friends, for the first time in life. He was a warrior and a paladin of Voltron. He wasn’t about to let himself fail at _this_.

He switched off the shower.

“Hand me a towel?”

Hunk passed one over the bar that was holding the shower curtain up, and Keith set about towel-drying his hair. It had grown long, lately. Longer than he was used to.

“Hunk?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you like my hair better when it was shorter?”

“Uh… your hair always looks good. I like it long, though. It feels nice. Really soft.”

“Okay.”

That settled it. He’d leave it as it was.

He dried off the rest of his body, then ran a hand through his hair to make sure all the excess water was gone. Satisfied, he draped the towel over the bar.

“Okay… uh… I’m going to come out, now.”

“Sure. I’ll meet you back out there.”

“No.” Keith swallowed. “Stay.”

He called up the mental checklist he ran through when he wanted to look confident: _chin up, back straight, shoulders set, eye contact._

“Dim lights,” he called. The overhead light faded to a pale glow.

He took a breath, pulled the shower curtain aside, and stepped over the ledge of the tub, onto the tile. He met Hunk’s eye with a smile.

Hunk gaped.

“Uh.” He licked his lips, wide-eyed. “You… you look… _wow._ God, you’re, like… _stunning._ Or… shit. I don’t know what you liked to be called. Handsome? Beautiful? You-must’ve-escaped-from-a-museum-because-you-look-like-you-were-carved-out-of-fucking-marble? Take your pick. _Wow._ ”

Keith’s mind spun at the unexpected outpouring.

_Handsome. Beautiful._

_Stunning._

These weren’t words he’d ever considered using to describe himself. He stared back at Hunk, reflecting on what a privilege it was to be with someone like him, like this.

He needed Hunk to know what a privilege it was, too.

So he walked right up to him, slid his arms around his shoulders, and hugged him close.

 _“I’m sorry I bailed,”_ he said, closing his eyes as Hunk’s arms encircled his waist. _“I should’ve anticipated… but I got so caught up, because it felt so good, and I was so excited, and… I’m really, really sorry.”_

_“You don’t have to apologize. We’ll figure it out together.”_

_“You still want to? I mean, you still want to do this with me?”_

Hunk flattened his hand against the small of Keith’s back.

_“What are we doing, exactly?”_

_“Um.”_ Keith cleared his throat. _“Dating?”_

_“Okay. Yes. I definitely want to do that.”_

Keith made a small space between them- just enough so he could see Hunk’s eyes.

_“Okay. Me too.”_

He moved his hand into Hunk’s hair, because it was soft and smooth, and because he liked how it felt between his fingers.

He kissed Hunk’s mouth, because it was his turn to make a move, and because he needed Hunk to know that he’d meant what he said.

He felt his body waking up all over again when Hunk kissed him back: warm lips, perfect pressure, the briefest touch of Hunk’s tongue against his lower lip.

He moved his hands onto Hunk’s chest, let his fingers tangle in the loose fabric of his shirt.

_“Hunk?”_

Their eyes met in the dim light.

_“Uh huh?”_

Keith slid one hand down to the hem of Hunk’s shirt and held it between his fingertips.

_“Will you give me another chance?”_

Hunk’s smile was kind. Reassuring.

_“What do you mean?”_

_“I mean… I didn’t want to stop, earlier. I wanted to keep going. And I know it might not be perfect… I might need to slow down, or take a break to clean up, or something… but if you can be patient, I know I can figure it out, for you-”_

_“Keith.”_

He swallowed the rest of his rambling commentary.

_“Uh huh?”_

_“It’s been, like, beyond perfect, already.”_ Hunk moved his hands so they were resting low on Keith’s hips. _“Especially this part. It’s so awesome that you let me see you, like this.”_

Keith tugged at the hem of Hunk’s shirt.

_“Can I take this off? I want to see you, too.”_

Hunk tilted his head to one side.

_“Really? Are you sure? I mean, you know I’m not-”_

_“Hunk.”_

Hunk breathed a small sigh.

_“Yeah?”_

_“You’re big, and strong, and soft, and I love it.”_

Hunk’s eyes went wide. _“Oh. I… wow.”_

Keith nodded. He slid the hem of Hunk’s shirt up with the back of his hand and let his thumb rest against the warm skin of his belly.

_“So? Do you want me to?”_

Hunk slid one hand around the back of Keith’s head and pressed his lips to his neck. He kissed him over and over again while Keith’s eyes fell shut, while Keith’s breathing started to change, while Keith took hold of his shirt and held the hem in his closed fist.

 _“Yes,”_ Hunk barely paused to say. _“I want you to.”_

 


	2. Cinnamon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I feel like I took a couple risks in this chapter, so if you like it, please let me know! Thanks so much to everyone who's left me amazing comments, and thanks to ALL of you for joining me for this sequel!

At the age of four, Keith had almost choked on a button he’d stolen from his father’s coat.

He’d already fallen onto the floor, clawing madly at his throat, by the time his father noticed anything was wrong. He’d scooped Keith up from the living room rug and applied quick, forceful pressure in just the right spot – a practiced maneuver he’d used more than once as a trained first responder, but never on his own son. The button had flown from Keith’s mouth and hit a nearby wall with a dull _thok_ : such a quiet sound, for something so lethal.

Keith had coughed, and then wailed, and then gone limp as the tears dried on his cheeks, and his father had gone on cradling him in his arms until he fell asleep, enjoying the moment of stillness in spite of the circumstances. There was a lot of love between them, but even so, Keith rarely let himself be touched.

Later that week, Keith’s father found the box of small, smooth objects Keith had hidden under his bed: several more buttons, a handful of rectangular Legos, and three plastic coins from a play money set. He found Keith building a rocket ship out of paper and popsicle sticks on the kitchen floor and asked him to open his mouth, and sure enough, there had been a button resting on the center of his tongue.

When questioned, four-year-old Keith couldn’t articulate why he needed to hold something in his mouth all the time.

“I just want to,” he’d said.

His father had confiscated the buttons and started keeping bowls of chewy candy all over the house. Keith took an extra trip to the dentist that year, but he never choked again.

When he was finally old enough to sit at a desk at school, Keith had been allowed to keep a small stash of mints inside it. His teacher asked him to use them only when he “needed to,” which, he felt, was pretty much all the time. He held them flat against the inside of his cheek and traced them with his tongue until they grew brittle, and then he crunched them discreetly into cool oblivion before starting the process over again. His father started mixing cinnamon fireballs into the candy jars that year, much to Keith’s delight. They were his favorite. The simmering spice - the cumulative heat - satisfied a need that Keith and his father had barely begun to understand.

At the age of nine, Keith was sent home early from school for refusing to join hands with his classmates in a team-building activity, and for pinching another boy’s hand. His father picked him up with a small bag of fireballs waiting on the passenger seat of his truck, and then drove them to a restaurant with a drive-through. He ordered Keith a chocolate milkshake before parking the truck and letting it idle, letting the milkshake cool his palms. He stayed silent until Keith finished his first fireball and began describing the incident, unprompted.

Keith did this because his father was the only one who listened.

“Some of them tickle my hands on purpose because they know I don’t like it. Some of them squeeze too hard. It makes me want to throw up.”

“Did you throw up?”

“Not this time.”

“Before?”

“Uh huh. Mrs. Ganza made me play Red Rover at recess. Damian squeezed my wrist the whole time. I made it to the bathroom, though. No one saw.”

“No one saw you do what?”

“Puke.” Silence for a beat. “Cry.”

The milkshake was passed from large hands to small.

“Are there kids in your class who can hold your hands the right way?”

Keith took a sip. Chocolate layered on top of cinnamon.

“Jocelyn. Peter.”

“Okay. I’ll call when we get home.”

“They said I was rude. They said it was my fault Tommy was crying, but _he_ pinched _me_ first. They said-”

“Keith.” Keith calmed at the sound of his father’s low, even voice. “This is a problem you and I can solve. But…?”

Keith sighed, blinking at the dashboard. “It’ll take patience.”

“Right.”

Keith sipped his milkshake. He saved half of it for his father. He finished another fireball on the ride home.

Keith’s father did call the school as soon as they got back to the house. He’d learned long ago that it was best to keep his word, to keep his promises to the letter, because Keith noticed if he didn’t, and felt betrayed by the unintended falsehood. He hadn’t given Keith a reason to feel that way in a long time.

Keith’s teacher met his concern with kind condescension. Yes, the classroom staff were aware of Keith’s quirks, but they didn’t think it was asking too much for Keith to hold hands with another student. He needed to practice his social skills, after all.

Keith’s father explained that he was anxious, that it hurt him, that he’d been sick over it. (It wasn’t the first time he’d explained this, and it wouldn’t be the last.)

Keith’s teachers didn’t think he seemed anxious. They thought he seemed angry.

 _No shit,_ Keith’s father had thought.

He’d ended the call in a state of frustrated bewilderment, unable to understand how anyone could fail to see the kindness, the thoughtfulness of his son, which were as apparent to him as Keith’s brilliance was.

His son, who always saved him half of his milkshake; who made his bed and tidied his room without being told; who learned to start preparing dinner on his own at the age of eight when he’d had to pick up extra hours at the fire station, so it would be ready by the time he came home.

His son, who remembered his birthday every year and never failed to present him, solemnly, with a meticulously hand-crafted gift.

He found Keith sprawled on his bed, reading a book about the history of jet propulsion, which was part of the high school engineering curriculum. He presented him with a box of individually wrapped fireball candies, explaining that he could keep those in his desk, now, too. No, he wasn’t in trouble. Yes, he might have to hold hands at school again, and if he did, or if anything else happened that made him feel uncomfortable, he could look forward to having a fireball as soon as he was back at his desk. He could focus on that, just focus and focus and focus, and then the hard thing would be over, and he could have a fireball, and they could get a milkshake after school, too.

“And I’ll be so proud of you,” Keith’s father had said, “for getting through such a hard thing, without hurting yourself or anyone else.”

Keith had nodded, his small features set in determination, and his father had sniffed, cleared his throat, and excused himself to go blow his nose in their tiny bathroom, because he believed Keith was perfect, just as he was.

He tried his hardest to help Keith believe it, too. He tried, and tried, and tried, right up until the day he died.

Keith still had three fireball candies in his pocket on the day he moved to the group home. He would’ve taken more, except he hadn’t really understood that he’d never be going back to the house he’d grown up in, again. He’d been _told_ , of course, by the people who had stood next to him at his father’s funeral. But it was the kind of thing that children aren’t designed to process all at once, and he didn’t feel the truth of it until he was stashing the fireballs at the back of a desk drawer in his new room – until he realized, suddenly, that he had to keep them safe and hidden, because they might’ve been the last three fireballs in the world his father’s hands had touched.

He checked, every day, to make sure they were still there. He never ate them.

He never ate a fireball, again.

He took them with him when he moved to the Garrison, and, eventually, to the shack in the desert. He hadn’t bothered hiding them, there. He’d put them in a bowl on the night stand next to his bed, instead. He’d thought of them often in deep space, wondering if they were still where he’d left them. Wondering if he’d ever taste the burn of simmering cinnamon, again.

And then finally, miraculously, he _did,_ when he let Hunk’s tongue into his mouth for the very first time.

He broke off the kiss, stunned.

“Keith?” Hunk’s voice was low and soothing. “Too much?”

“You taste like cinnamon,” Keith blurted, staring at Hunk’s parted lips.

“Oh. Yeah. Lance brought some candy, earlier. I could brush my teeth-”

Keith kissed him fiercely, and a little clumsily, too, putting pressure on Hunk’s lower lip before he opened his mouth, inviting Hunk inside again. Hunk matched him eagerly, and Keith caught a hint of it again: burnt cinnamon on Hunk’s tongue, which was caressing his own in a slow drag… he tilted his head and willed Hunk to go on exploring the inside of his mouth, pressing as close to him as he could get.

They were still in the bathroom in Hunk’s hospital room; Keith was still entirely naked. Hunk’s discarded shirt was in a pile on the floor, and Keith’s hands were roaming freely over his bare skin while they kissed each other, touching his upper arms, his chest, his back, his belly. Hunk caressed the inside of Keith’s cheek with the tip of his tongue, then promptly collided with the tile wall when Keith pressed up against him again, forcing him backward. Hunk giggled a low, contagious rumble that Keith could feel everywhere their bodies were touching, and Keith met his eye, smiling.

“I wasn’t sure if you would like kissing like that,” Hunk murmured, moving Keith’s damp hair away from his eyes. “I thought it might be too invasive.”

“No. I used to like…” Keith paused, grinning in anticipation of what he was about to say. “…putting things in my mouth? The feel of it, I mean. Candy. Stuff like that.”

“Oh.” Hunk brought one huge hand to cradle the line of Keith’s jaw. He pressed his thumb against his lower lip. “That… is useful information.”

Keith leaned into the pressure of Hunk’s hand, feeling high on the synchrony that was growing between them. He licked the tip of Hunk’s thumb in invitation, and Hunk pressed it into his mouth. Keith had been enjoying the close, almost challenging eye contact between them, but his eyelids fell closed of their own accord when Hunk started stroking, gently, at the flat of his tongue.

 _“Mm,”_ he hummed, the sound of it muffled by Hunk’s finger.

_“Good?”_

He nodded, eyes still closed. Hunk moved the pad of his thumb to the inside of his cheek and _stroked._

 _“Nh… uh huh…”_ Keith nodded again, unprompted. He was vaguely aware of Hunk’s other hand pulling on his hip, pressing their bodies together… he shivered with pleasure, feeling himself start to swell all over again.

_“Keith… I really, really like making you feel good…”_

Keith opened his eyes. He was getting lost, again. Straying from his objective. _He_ was supposed to make _Hunk_ feel good. He needed to focus, needed to figure out how Hunk liked to be touched. He ran through a list of all the different ways Hunk had shown him physical affection, along with a separate, much longer list of the things he knew people did together in situations like this. He decided on a plan, and, ambitious as it was, he committed himself to it.

He swirled his tongue against Hunk’s thumb, gave it a slow, exaggerated suck, and pulled off. Then he tilted his head and pressed his mouth onto Hunk’s neck, under his ear, kissing him slowly all the way to the front of his throat. Hunk sighed, letting his head fall back against the wall to grant him better access; Keith took this as a good sign.

 _“Your skin feels so soft,”_ Keith murmured, straightening up to see Hunk’s eyes again, recalling the hints of nervous self-consciousness Hunk had shown him. _“Is it soft like this everywhere?”_

 _“Um…”_ Hunk cleared his throat. _“I… I’m not sure.”_

 _“I bet it is.”_ Keith rested one hand on Hunk’s chest, then slid it down to his stomach. _“I’ll check, though, just in case.”_ He traced the pleasant roundness of Hunk’s belly with his fingertips, smiling. _“Mm. Soft.”_

Hunk’s breathing was starting to change. Keith could feel the more shallow rise and fall of his ribcage.

 _“Not too soft?”_ Hunk asked.

_“No. Just right.”_

Keith slid his hand further down, skimming the waistband of Hunk’s pants with his fingertips, resting his palm over the growing hardness he found underneath. He felt a thrum of nervous energy in his chest.

 _“Not so soft, here,”_ he said.

Hunk’s mouth fell open.

_“I… you… um. This is blowing my mind, right now.”_

Keith got his fingers partially around Hunk’s length and _squeezed_ him through the fabric.

Hunk exhaled, warm breath against Keith’s lips.

_“Keith…”_

He took hold of the waistband of Hunk’s pants with both hands, waited until Hunk gave him a small nod, and then slid them down Hunk’s hips. He took a steadying breath, still holding Hunk’s gaze – _I can do this, I can, I want to_ – and then he wrapped his fingers around Hunk’s cock.

He gave it a tentative stroke while Hunk made a quiet sound, low in his throat. It felt thicker and longer than his own, but manageable. Delightfully smooth and so, so warm.

_“Hunk?”_

Hunk blinked back at him, like he was having trouble focusing.

_“Uh- uh huh?”_

_“Can I go down on you?”_

Hunk’s eyes went wide.

_“Oh, my God. Oh, holy shit. Okay. Yes. But- but only if you really want to-”_

_“I do.”_

_“And you shouldn’t swallow, okay? Just- just go slow because- I need you to be enjoying yourself right now-”_

_“I am.”_

_“Oh my God, you’re so hot, I’m gonna pass out.”_

Keith giggled.

_“Not yet. Give me a few minutes.”_

He moved his hands to Hunk’s hips, steadying himself so he could kneel down-

 _“Hang on.”_ Hunk made a grab for a clean towel from a nearby shelf and handed it to him, his cheeks flushing crimson. _“Um. For your knees?”_

Keith squeezed the soft material against his palms with renewed determination.

_“Hunk?”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“I think you’re the best ever.”_

Hunk threw both arms around him in a perfect, crushing hug.

_“Oh my God, I like you so much, I can’t even handle it… and I know we’re in this stupid hospital wing and everything, but this has been, like, one of the best nights I’ve ever had, I think, because… because you’re here, and I wish it would just… last forever.”_

_Maybe it can,_ Keith thought, fleetingly.

 _“Me too,”_ he said, pressing his face briefly against Hunk’s hair before he started kissing his neck again, moving his mouth with a new kind of urgency, using his lips and his tongue, now, feeling the warm hardness of Hunk’s erection pressing against the crease of his hip.

Hunk loosened his hold, sighing and making small, increasingly desperate sounds, so Keith moved his mouth down to his shoulder, and then his collarbone, and then his chest…

He kneeled down on the floor at Hunk’s feet, on the towel Hunk had given him.

He pulled Hunk’s pants and boxers down to his ankles and helped him step out of them.

He pressed his face against the soft swell of Hunk’s belly, breathing in the now-familiar smell of his skin, leaving a handful of kisses there as he took hold of Hunk’s cock, again. He hadn’t really looked at it properly, not because he didn’t want to see what Hunk looked like, but because he had committed himself to the task he was about to undertake, and he didn’t want to give himself room to hesitate. He was focusing on the swell of thrilling emotion in his chest, on the tactile experience of getting to know Hunk’s body.

He loved how soft Hunk’s skin felt against his cheek, and how his belly gave way a little bit when he pressed his face against it, and how Hunk’s foreskin glided smoothly in his hold as he started to stroke…

He closed his eyes and took Hunk’s cock into his mouth, letting the head make contact with the inside of his cheek.

_“Oh-”_

He slid it in a slow circle, touching the rim and the shaft with his tongue. Hunk was perfectly warm and perfectly smooth.

_“Ah- Keith, can- can I touch your hair? Please?”_

He nodded, letting Hunk slide against his tongue as he bobbed his head.

Hunk’s fingers found their way into his hair, and the sensation settled around him, as if Hunk’s arms were still encircling him, holding him close.

He started to suck.

_“Ah- ahh-”_

He moved his free hand up onto Hunk’s belly so he could feel the rumbling vibration of his voice.

_He likes this. He likes me._

He felt himself start to throb, felt aching pressure starting to build below his belly. He didn’t touch himself, though. He was busy touching Hunk. He bobbed his head up and down, enjoying the drag of Hunk’s smooth skin against his lips-

 _“Oh God- oh, holy shit-”_ Hunk blurted.

Keith smiled – as much as he could, with his lips stretched around Hunk’s thickness – and swirled his tongue-

_“Nh- ahh-”_

And then he gagged involuntarily as Hunk wept bitter, salty precum into his mouth.

He pulled off, swallowing hard, eyes still squeezed shut.

“Keith?”

He reminded himself to breathe. He’d known this could happen. It was fine, it was safe, he would be all right. He could keep going-

“Keith. Stand up, okay?”

“No, it’s fine, I’m okay-”

“Please? I want you to come up here.”

He opened his eyes and looked up. Hunk’s hands were resting lightly around back of his head, holding his hair away from his face. Hunk’s voice was soothing and sincere.

“Okay,” Keith agreed. “In a minute.”

He looked at Hunk’s cock, which was still rigid and warm and pulsing in his hold, slick and shiny with his saliva. He couldn’t – _wouldn’t_ – shatter the moment again, so he put his lips on Hunk’s head and kissed it, then mouthed at it lightly while he stroked at the base until he heard the low rumble of Hunk’s voice again. He kept his hold on the shaft as he rose, carefully, to his feet, and then went on stroking as he met Hunk’s eye.

 _“I want to finish,”_ he said, softly.

Hunk nodded, resting a firm hand on the smallest part of Keith’s waist.

_“That won’t be a problem.”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“Uh huh.”_ Hunk was breathless and flushed. _“I almost came, like, three times already. I just didn’t want it to be over.”_ Keith felt a swell of pride in his chest, right before he felt Hunk’s fingertips resting against his lower belly. _“Can I touch you, too?”_

_“Oh… you don’t have to-”_

_“I want to. It… it turns me on. Touching you. Making you feel good.”_

Keith felt a pulse of heat below his belly as the words registered. He nodded, adjusted his position so he was leaning into Hunk’s side, and exhaled a shuddering breath when Hunk’s fingers wrapped around him. He rested his chin on Hunk’s shoulder in a partial embrace, seeking more contact.

 _“I- I liked how it felt,”_ he breathed, rolling his hips to meet Hunk’s stroking hand. Hunk was kissing his neck, nosing at his cheek, making small, rumbling sounds as Keith tightened his grip on his cock and picked up the pace.

_“Mh… which part, babe?”_

He felt a flicker of flame come to life under his ribcage.

_Babe._

He’d never been _babe_ to anyone, before.

He leaned his forehead against the side of Hunk’s head, let his palm glide over the tip of Hunk’s cock, and then moved his hand up and down the shaft in quick, firm strokes.

 _“Having you inside my mouth,”_ he breathed.

_“Ah- ahh-”_

Hunk came hard, pressing his face against Keith’s shoulder, bucking against Keith’s hand, spilling onto the towel at their feet.

Keith grinned, triumphant, analyzing the intensity of Hunk’s orgasm, enjoying the pulse of it against his palm and fingers. He’d done it. He’d made Hunk come, using his own hands, and his own mouth, and his own voice. Hunk had turned his whole world upside-down, had treated his body with such staggering care and affection, and now he knew he could do the same for Hunk, too. Maybe he really could give Hunk everything he wanted- not just for tonight, not just for a little while-

_“Ah-”_

He gasped as Hunk’s mouth pressed against his neck again, his breath hot, his lips firm and searching. He was stroking over the head of Keith’s cock with huge, careful fingers.

_“Keith?”_

Hunk was kissing his face, bumping at his nose, looking in his eyes.

_“Mh?”_

_“Let me go down on you. I know I can do it. I know I can get it right, for you.”_

Keith nodded, shivering with a thrill of anticipation, kissing Hunk’s lips, feeling the inside of Hunk’s mouth with his tongue, thinking _it’ll be like this, but better… it’ll be perfect, because it’s Hunk…_

Hunk pressed one more kiss to his cheek and then kneeled down in front of him. He took hold of Keith’s right hand, then used the towel to wipe away the cum Keith hadn’t realized was coating his thumb and forefinger. He felt a surge of affection he barely had time to process, because Hunk’s hand was holding his hip, now, and Hunk’s fingers were gripping the base of his cock… and then delicious, wet heat was pressing against him from all sides while he shuddered though a wave of overwhelming sensation…

He squeezed his eyes shut, put his hands on Hunk’s shoulders, and held on tight.

Hunk swirled his tongue, teasing Keith’s sensitive head-

Keith whimpered.

Hunk bobbed up and down, pulling him deep and then shallow – deep and then shallow – sucking and swirling around his head at every pass-

Keith let out a series of high, broken moans.

Hunk swallowed him to the hilt…

…and Keith came hard against the back of his throat.

He let out a muffled groan, bent over Hunk’s kneeling form, feeling like the throb of it had spread to every corner of his body, as if the pulse of his orgasm were pumping his blood in place of his heart.

He shuddered.

Hunk swallowed.

He bobbed his head slowly, letting Keith’s head and shaft slide over the flat of his tongue while the aftershocks ran their course.

He let Keith go and pressed a slow, gentle kiss to his hip.

Keith let all the air out of his lungs, sank onto his knees, and fell into his arms.

_“Oh… babe… you okay?”_

Keith nodded, arms locked around Hunk’s neck, nose pressed into his hair.

_“Okay. Uh… do you want to be a little closer?”_

He nodded again.

Hunk maneuvered himself into a sitting position, and Keith climbed on top of him, settling into his lap, straddling him there. He rested his chin on Hunk’s shoulder.

 _“I love cinnamon,”_ he whispered, because he needed to use the word _love_ , and he wasn’t sure how else to do it. _“Thank you. For everything.”_

Hunk was rubbing small circles over his lower back, holding him close.

_“Keith… I know we didn’t really talk about it much, but I’ve never done anything like this before, and I’m really, really happy about that, now, because… well… I’m so glad my first time could be with you.”_

Keith straightened up so he could see Hunk’s eyes.

“That was your first time, too?”

“Uh… yeah. And it was fucking incredible.”

“But… you’re so… good at everything.”

Hunk giggled. “So are you! That thing you did with your _mouth_? Are you fucking _kidding_ me?”

Keith felt laughter bubbling up inside himself from somewhere deep. He let it out, answering the rumbling in Hunk’s chest.

“I liked doing that,” he said. He ran his tongue over his own lower lip, remembering. “I liked how it felt.”

Hunk nodded. “I could tell. It was really special.”

“You are,” Keith said, grabbing on to the word. “Special. To me.”

Hunk’s eyebrows drew together. He pressed his cheek against Keith’s chest, over his heart.

“Can we get in bed?” he asked, his voice low and muffled.

 

* * *

 

Keith emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, wearing only the thin, black boxers Hunk had retrieved from his room next door. Hunk was sitting up on the bed, wearing long-sleeved, orange, Garrison-issued pajamas. The lights were dimmed, but Keith could easily make out his stunned expression.

“Wow,” Hunk blurted, watching Keith approach, sounding awestruck all over again, as if they hadn’t just spent the last half hour naked and pressed up against each other. “Uh. You’re gonna have to let me know if the staring is an issue, because I’m not gonna stop, otherwise.”

Keith found himself blushing all over again, too, as if Hunk’s hands hadn’t just been roaming all over his naked body.

“No, I… I think I’m still in the staring phase, too.”

“Sweet, because I don’t think I’ll ever get over how you look, right now.”

Keith paused at the foot of the bed.

“I… that’s good, because… I thought, since you have pajamas on… it wouldn’t be too sweaty… and I really like how your hands feel, so…” Keith frowned, realizing he hadn’t managed to string a coherent sentence together.

“You want to sleep in your boxers so I can touch you?” Hunk translated.

Keith exhaled a laugh.

“Yeah. That.”

“Hell yes! Get over here!”

Keith climbed onto the bed and settled on his knees in front of Hunk, who flashed him a grin and held out his hand, palm-up. He was holding a small, red, spherical hard candy that was packaged in a plastic wrapper.

“Want to try? Lance said they’re from some planet he can’t pronounce, but they taste just like-”

“Fireballs,” Keith finished. He was already holding the candy in his hands, smoothing the wrapper between his fingertips.

“You like them?”

“I…” He cleared his throat. “My dad used to buy them for me.”

“Oh. _Oh._ Keith… I’m so sorry-”

“No.” Keith met his eye. “Don’t be. It’s a good memory. I haven’t had one since I was a kid, so… I think maybe it’s time.” He pulled the wrapper apart and popped the candy into his mouth.

It wasn’t _exactly_ the same as a fireball, but it was startlingly similar, given that it was from some distant world. Cinnamon was the most prominent flavor, but the heat was more mild, and the candy was dissolving quickly on his tongue. He took a breath through his mouth to feel the subtle burn, remembering how his bedroom and his kitchen and his father’s truck had smelled of cinnamon, and how he and his father had paced their conversations by the slow melt of the dissolving candy – how his father had always given him _time_ when he needed it, until he couldn’t, until he’d run out of it, himself.

Keith wiped away the single tear that had fallen onto his cheek.

“Want to tell me about it?” Hunk’s voice was soothing and even.

“Yeah. But not tonight.”

Keith kissed him. The candy was gone, but the taste was still there, and he could share that, for now, until he felt ready to share the rest. They slid under the covers, pressing close to each other in the narrow bed – Hunk’s arms around Keith’s back, Keith’s knee between Hunk’s legs, lips exploring slowly. Hunk put a hand on the back of Keith’s thigh and pressed their bodies together, then made an almost-startled sound, hesitating. Keith blinked at him, breathless.

 _“I… I didn’t really touch you here, yet,”_ Hunk explained. _“Is this okay?”_

Keith analyzed the feeling of Hunk’s hand holding the back of his bare thigh. Hunk’s fingertips were inside his boxers.

He nodded. _“More.”_

Hunk slid his hand up, inside his shorts, and put firm, steady pressure on the curve of his ass.

Keith nodded again, his breath catching in his throat, thinking about the other things people did when they took their clothes off – when they wanted to be close, when they were falling, when they _liked_ each other – things he’d always thought would be impossible for him, until now.

_He likes this. He likes me._

He kissed Hunk again, letting Hunk steer his lower body with the pressure of his hand until their legs were perfectly interlocked, feeling like if he could do this, he could do absolutely anything.

They kissed each other for a long time, letting the intensity ebb and flow between them – deep, dizzying, kisses fading to soft, careful, soothing ones. And as much as Keith loved the warm, steady pressure of Hunk’s hands on his back, and his thigh, _and his ass, holy shit_ , the fatigue was finally catching up with him. So he turned over on his side, pressed his back against Hunk’s chest, and wrapped Hunk’s arms around himself, settling into the perfection of his broad-shouldered embrace, sleepily considering the notion that he was about to spend the night in bed with someone for the first time in his life.

He fell asleep tasting cinnamon, with Hunk’s hand pressed over his heart.

 

* * *

 

The alarm on Hunk’s tablet went off at 5:30 the next morning.

 _“Five more minutes,”_ Keith mumbled. He felt Hunk pull away from him briefly, and then he was back, holding tight to his chest again. Keith had just enough time to process the feeling of Hunk’s body pressing against him from his shoulders to his toes before he fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

_“Keith. C’mon. Time to get up.”_

Keith opened his eyes.

Shiro was there, crouching next to the bed.

“Huh?”

Shiro tilted his head, unsmiling. “The medical officer’s looking for you.” His gaze drifted for a moment. Keith was still blinking himself awake when their eyes met again. “You should probably put some clothes on.”

Keith glanced down. He must’ve kicked off the blankets overnight, because he could see the length of his own naked torso. Hunk’s arm was curled over his hip, Hunk’s hand was pressed flat against his stomach, and two of Hunk’s fingertips were resting just inside the waistband of his boxers-

_Oh._

He looked up in time to see Shiro disappear through the door.

 


	3. Touched

_“Hunk.”_

_“Mh.”_

_“Hunk. Seriously. We gotta get up.”_

_“Five more minutes.”_

_“Nope. That already happened. We overslept.”_

_“Baaabe. You feel so good.”_

_“Hunk.”_ Keith swallowed. _“Shiro was just in here.”_

Hunk sat up, finally loosening his hold on Keith in the process. Keith stood up from the bed, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

 _“Shiro_ came in here?!” Hunk looked appropriately mortified, swiping his tousled hair away from his forehead.

“Yup. So… he knows, now, obviously…”

“Keith…” Hunk looked upset, now. “I must’ve turned off the alarm… I’m _so_ sorry. I’ll talk to Shiro, or… I’ll do whatever you want-”

“Hunk-”

“Are you mad?”

“No.” Keith sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m not, okay? I just… I need to process, a little bit, and the medical officer is trying to track me down, so… maybe I can come see you later?”

Hunk stared at him for a moment, the corners of his mouth turned down in a gentle frown.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’ll be here.”

Keith held out his hand. Hunk picked it up and squeezed his fingers.

“Still just right?” Hunk asked, sounding hesitant.

“Yeah.” Keith squeezed back. “Still just right.”

He found the rest of his clothes in the bathroom, dressed as quickly as he could, and then headed back to the bed to leave a hurried kiss on Hunk’s forehead. Hunk stopped him before he could leave, though, taking hold of his wrist, applying firm pressure. He turned Keith’s hand over and placed three wrapped cinnamon candies in his open palm.

Keith met his eye and managed a small smile. He kissed Hunk’s forehead again - slowly, this time - before heading for the door.

“Keith?”

He stopped with his fingers on the handle.

“Yeah?”

“Um.” Hunk wasn’t looking at him; he was fidgeting with the blankets, smoothing one corner of the sheet between his thumb and forefinger. “You and Shiro…” He stopped, shook his head, met Keith’s eye. “Never mind. I’ll see you later.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Keith told him, his stomach lurching as the incident played out in his mind on a loop, as he saw Shiro’s expression over and over again and failed, spectacularly, at guessing what it could’ve meant.

He practically collided with the medical officer when he stepped into the hallway.

“Keith!” She glared at him, exasperated. “You had an exam scheduled fifteen minutes ago. You were supposed to notify the desk before leaving your room-”

“I know,” he said, following her back into the room next door. “I’m sorry. I had to check on Hunk.”

“Did Captain Shirogane speak with you?” She gestured sharply at the bed, and he sat down on the edge of it while she took stock of some equipment on a nearby cart. He placed the cinnamon candies carefully inside his night stand drawer.

“Uh… Shiro?” he asked, as she finally approached the bed and attached a device to his wrist and finger, taking his vitals. “I… not exactly.”

Her scowl deepened. “Be sure to get in touch with him, then.”

“What? Why?”

“Well, I assumed it must be something urgent. He was here early, asking to see you. I told him you needed a full night’s rest… asked him to leave a message and come back later… he insisted on coming to your _empty_ room, though.”

She pursed her lips, just to drive the point home, but Keith barely noticed. He was too busy wondering what could’ve possibly been so important, that Shiro would override his physician’s recommendations to try and see him in the early hours of the morning.

“…since you woke up?”

He forced himself to focus on what she was saying.

“Sorry… what?”

She frowned, concerned, now, rather than annoyed. She retrieved a pen light from her pocket and checked the dilation of his pupils.

“How have you been feeling since you woke up? Any dizziness? Disorientation?”

“No. I feel fine. I was just distracted.”

“Any pain?”

“None. Not since yesterday afternoon.”

“Hmm.” She switched on her portable imaging device, a rectangular screen with a sensor attached to the back. She moved it slowly around his head, nodding to herself. “Looks good. I’d like you to stay through lunchtime, but I’m planning to cut you loose after that.” She switched off the device and set it down on the cart. “You have _permission_ to move freely around the floor, now, as long as you tell the desk where you’re going.”

He nodded. “I will. Thanks for your help.”

Her expression softened. “Glad to see you on your feet, Paladin.”

“Thank you.”

She started arranging her equipment back on the cart, much to his relief. He needed time to process what had happened with Shiro, and to decide how he wanted to handle it. He gave the medical officer a small wave as she exited the room, wondering what Shiro could’ve come to here to say. If it had been related to his responsibilities as a paladin, Shiro would’ve left him a video message, or called a briefing with the whole team. And if it was personal, surely it could’ve waited a couple of hours, until visitors were allowed on the floor-

“Keith?”

He looked up. Shiro was standing in the doorway.

He wound his fingers into the blankets and squeezed.

“Hey. Um. Do you want to come in?”

Shiro stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He sat down in one of the chairs next to the bed where Keith was still perched, legs hanging off of the side, ankles crossed. Keith felt that the posture was awkward, all of a sudden, so he tucked his legs underneath himself and tried to swallow the lump of anxiety that had lodged itself in his throat.

“How are you feeling?” Shiro asked.

“Better. I can get out of here after lunch.”

Shiro nodded. “I should’ve asked you, earlier. That’s why I came here in the first place.”

Keith stared for a beat.

“You came here before visiting hours… you _forced_ the medical officer to let you in here… so you could ask me how I was doing?”

Keith could see redness climbing up Shiro’s neck from underneath the collar of his uniform.

He was anxious, too.

“Something like that,” he said. “And I was out of line, when I saw you with…” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry about that. I was just… surprised.”

“Yeah. I was, too, at first.”

“So you two are… I mean, you and Hunk… was that the first time, or… how long have you been… um.” Shiro was frowning, now. Not at all in control of his expression, or the words that were coming out of his mouth. Keith didn’t offer any information – not because he was enjoying watching Shiro struggle, he really, _really_ wasn’t – but because Shiro was speaking freely. _Emotionally._ He needed to know what Shiro would say next.

“Is it… more than just what I saw?” Shiro managed.

“Yeah. We’re together.”

“Oh. Good. I… that’s good.” Shiro was staring at the floor, his eyebrows drawn together, his mouth set in a hard line.

“Shiro.”

“Mm?”

“What’s wrong?”

Shiro met his eye.

“Nothing, I… I just didn’t think you were interested in… being close, like that. I mean, I didn’t think you wanted to be… _touched_.”

His voice fell quiet as he said the word. He made it sound like a private, intimate thing.

They had never spoken private, intimate words to each other, before.

“I…” Keith swallowed again. His mouth was so dry, he was surprised that any sound was coming out of it, at all. “I guess I’ve never known anyone else who’s acted like they wanted to get close to me.”

Shiro let out a short laugh. It was so at odds with the tone of the conversation they were having, Keith actually flinched.

“Really?” Shiro was saying, eyebrows raised. “You can’t think of _anyone_ else who might’ve-”

He stopped. His expression went neutral. He stood up from the chair and faced the opposite wall, clearing his throat again.

Keith guessed it must be sore, by now.

“I won’t say anything to anyone,” Shiro said, his voice even, his tone conversational. “You and Hunk can figure that piece out for yourselves. I’ll have to trust you not to let this affect the mission, or the rest of the team.”

Keith’s mind spun at the sudden shift, trying to catch up with what Shiro had been implying just a moment ago.

“Shiro-”

“I’m glad for you,” Shiro said, glancing over his shoulder. “You deserve to be happy. You deserve _everything_.”

“Shiro, hang on-”

He was already leaving.

_“Wait-”_

He was already gone.

 

* * *

 

Hunk’s door was closed when Keith finally felt calm enough to head back into the hallway. He stared at it for a minute before he knocked, grateful for a little extra time to try to center himself.

 _“Who is it?”_ Hunk called from the other side.

“Uh. It’s Keith.”

There was a brief pause before Hunk opened the door, let him inside, and then shut it behind him. He was pulling the hem of his shirt down over his stomach, as if he’d just put it on. It was a yellow, long-sleeved t-shirt, paired with dark blue jeans.

“Sorry, I was just getting dressed. My parents are coming in a few minutes.”

“Oh. Okay. Are you… leaving?”

“Yep. They just discharged me.”

Worry prickled at the corners of Keith’s mind. He would’ve expected Hunk to deliver this type of news in the context of rambling, lighthearted commentary. He’d been bracing himself to be tackled into a hug.

But Hunk wasn’t even smiling.

“That’s great,” he offered. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Hunk nodded. “Are you?”

“Yeah. All healed up. I can leave after lunch.”

“No, I meant… shit, yes, I’m really glad your head’s okay, but I meant… well, Shiro stopped by here, earlier. A couple minutes after you left.”

The sickly, squirming sensation that had been building in Keith’s stomach all morning reached a new peak. He wondered if he might actually have to excuse himself to be sick. He squeezed one of his hands into a fist and focused on the feeling of his blunt fingernails pressing into his palm.

“Um. What did he say?”

“Nothing about… us. He just asked how I was doing. He didn’t stay, he… well, I’m assuming he went to see you.”

“Yeah. He did. He was-”

Keith faltered. He’d been trying to figure out what to tell Hunk about their conversation, and he’d come up short, since he’d barely understood it, himself. He’d hoped that the calm safety of Hunk’s presence would make things easier, but he could feel that something in Hunk had shifted. Some of the warmth between them had cooled.

“Keith, I… I know you and Shiro are close,” Hunk said, cutting into the tense silence. “I told myself I wasn’t going to worry about it, because I trust you, and because… well, I mean, why would you be messing around with me if you could be with Shiro?”

The words cut. Keith winced.

“Hunk-”

“But you brought him back from the _dead_ ,” Hunk went on, gesturing vaguely, as if Keith hadn’t spoken, “so if he wasn’t thinking about it before, he has to be, now-”

“Hunk-”

“…I mean, he’d be crazy not to, he’d be _insane_ if he didn’t love you-”

“Hunk!” Keith took hold of Hunk’s wrists and squeezed, fighting off a wave of nausea. “Stop, okay? Please. You… _you_ are my… person. My whatever. My _boyfriend_.”

Hunk met his eye. “Still?”

“Yes!” Keith couldn’t keep the frustration out of his tone. “You thought I’d have one conversation with Shiro and just… what? Go back on everything I said?”

Hunk looked wounded. “Shit. No. I… no. That would’ve been… shitty, of me.”

Keith let go of his wrists.

“Hunk… I told you. You’re the first person I’ve ever even _kissed._ There’s never been anything like that between Shiro and me.”

“But there could be.”

Keith opened his mouth, but nothing came out. As much as he wanted to deny it, he knew Hunk’s fears weren’t entirely unjustified. He knew there was a reason Shiro had come to see him, alone, so early in the morning. He knew there was a reason Shiro had turned away from him so abruptly, cutting their conversation short, practically bolting from the room…

He knew Shiro had come here to tell him something, and then changed his mind, when he’d seen him in bed with someone.

Someone _else._

“Keith?”

He swallowed, begging the tears not to fall from his eyes.

“Yeah?”

“Just… talk to him, again, okay? Hash it out. Figure out what you both want, before you and I get any further.”

“I know what I want. Talking to Shiro isn’t going to change how I feel about you.”

Hunk shook his head. “Please don’t say that until you know it’s really true.”

Keith opened his mouth to argue the point, but he didn’t get the chance. There were voices in the hallway, drawing closer. They both looked toward the door.

“Shit,” Hunk muttered. “My parents-”

_“Hunk?”_

There were three quick knocks at the door before it burst open. Hunk’s parents stepped into the room, and Keith inhaled slowly through his nose, trying to adjust to the abruptness of this shift, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he was about the meet his boyfriend’s parents for the first time, _right now_ , in the midst of this emotional crisis.

_Relax your face. Relax your hands. Shoulders straight. Focus on what’s right in front of you._

He blocked out the discomfort and forced himself to look at Hunk’s parents, and he was stunned to see how much Hunk resembled them both. He’d inherited his father’s broad-shouldered build and wide smile, along with his mother’s warm, brown eyes.

“Hi, guys,” Hunk said, with some measure of his usual enthusiasm. “This is-”

“Keith!” his mother blurted. She dropped the large, canvas bag she’d been carrying and took hold of his shoulders before throwing her arms around him in a crushing hug. He felt his body go rigid at the unexpected contact and took another steadying breath, trying to loosen up his arms enough to return the gesture. He managed to pat her lightly on the back while Hunk stared at him, looking mortified. He gave his head a small shake.

_It’s okay. I can handle it._

“We were so _worried_ about you,” she was saying. He breathed a sigh of relief when she let him go. “It’s so good to see you up and about!”

He smiled at her. “It’s really nice to finally meet you. I didn’t know you… knew me.”

She laughed. “Everyone on Earth knows the leader of Voltron! I’m just so happy we can finally thank you properly. Hunk told us what you did.”

Hunk’s father extended his hand. Keith shook it.

“You risked so much to try to save us, when the Garrison wouldn’t back you up,” he said.

“You saved Hunk,” his mother said, her eyes shimmering. “You saved all our lives. Everyone we’ve ever known. We’ll never be able to repay you, we know that, but we brought you some things…”

She picked up the bag she’d dropped on the floor.

“Hunk told us your sizes, so we found you some clothes and shoes. There’s some food in there, too- they let us use the kitchen at the barracks… oh!” She handed him the bag, pulled a memory stick out of her pocket, and handed that over, too. “We all recorded messages! We weren’t sure when we would get to see you in person, and we thought you should have something to keep from us, anyway, so…” She beamed at him. “I said it in the video, but… thank you for helping Hunk get home to us.”

“Oh, I…” Keith floundered, completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness. “I just… I mean, Hunk didn’t need much help. He’s been incredible. He kept us all sane, out there. He’s saved my life more than once. He’s…” She was crying openly, now. He had to look away from her face, so he looked at Hunk instead, and said, “He’s amazing.”

Hunk stared, then smiled, then hugged him: firm, perfect pressure. Keith hugged him back, wondering if his parents could see what was between them as plainly as he could feel it.

He wished they were alone. He wished he had more time explain. He wished he’d been able to make Hunk believe that _this_ – this warm, familiar, perfect embrace – was all he’d ever wanted.

 _“Find me later,”_ Hunk whispered, right before he let go.

 

* * *

 

As much as it stung to watch Hunk walk away from him while things were so uncertain between them, Keith knew he needed some time on his own to let his mood settle. So he shut himself inside his room, plugged the memory stick into his viewscreen, and set the video to play while he went through the contents of the bag Hunk’s mother had given him.

It hadn’t occurred to him until he was unpacking it that he didn’t really _own_ anything, anymore. It was a stark reminder of how drastically his reality had shifted because of this war, and as much as he was committed to his role in it, he felt part of himself rebelling against the burden of it, too. The only object he’d consistently carried with him in deep space had been his mother’s blade, and he’d given that back to her. He didn’t even own a pair of shoes, anymore.

Or he _hadn’t_ , until now. There were two pairs in the bag: dark gray athletic sneakers and simple black boots, similar to pairs he’d owned in the past. There were two pairs of athletic shorts, several sets of plain, black boxers and socks, two pairs of jeans, a pair of long pajama bottoms, a soft, full-zip hoodie, and a variety of plain t-shirts in dark colors: black, gray, navy blue. He liked all of it; he could’ve easily chosen these things himself. He guessed this was entirely Hunk’s fault.

_“Hi, Keith! What’s it like to fly the head of Voltron? Does the black lion go so, so fast?”_

Keith looked up at the screen and saw two kids – a boy and a girl – looking back at him, crowding close to the camera. The girl had been speaking conspiratorially in a hushed tone; she shared Hunk’s warm, brown eyes. Keith filed through his mental inventory of Hunk’s family members and guessed that these were his cousin’s children.

 _“He doesn’t FLY THE HEAD,”_ the boy said, elbowing the girl in the shoulder. _“He flies the LION.”_

 _“Same thing!”_ she insisted, swatting back at him. _“Anyway, Uncle Hunk says we can’t go for a ride in the yellow lion-_ ”

 _“He said MAYBE SOMEDAY,”_ the boy corrected, exasperated. _“Could we go in the black lion instead? Uncle Hunk said you’re the best pilot in the whole universe!”_

Keith found himself grinning as they were scolded by someone off-camera. They both waved at him before the video went dark.

It didn’t stay that way, though. Hunk’s face appeared on the viewscreen next.

“Hey, team leader,” Hunk’s image said. He was sitting up in his hospital bed, wearing his orange pajamas and a genuine smile. Keith guessed he’d recorded this on his tablet yesterday, before Keith had come to his room.

Before they’d spent the night together.

Before doubt and confusion had interrupted the growing closeness between them.

“I already scrapped two versions of this video,” Hunk was saying. “I know I do this rambling thing sometimes, and you’ve never given me a hard time about it before, but I’m gonna try to spare you this time around, so… yeah. Bear with me, here.” He paused, then looked directly into the camera and said, “You’re the reason I believed we were gonna make it back home, and you’re the reason we did. You’re the reason my family is safe. And you’re a part of it, now. My family. Whatever else happens, I hope that will always be true. Whatever else happens, I promise you, Keith, that you’ll _always_ be able to count on me, like I can count on you. I’m… I’m really glad you’re awake. I’ll see you soon. And if you’re watching this video ten years from now, for whatever reason, I hope that’ll still be true. I mean… I hope I can always say _I’ll see you soon.”_

He smiled at the camera.

The screen went dark.

Keith sniffed and wiped at his cheek.

He changed into one of the t-shirts and zipped the hoodie over it, rubbing the smooth fabric of the sleeve against his fingertips.

He opened his night stand drawer, took out a piece of red, cinnamon candy, pulled apart the wrapper, and popped it into his mouth.

He set Hunk’s video to play again.

 


	4. A Little Messy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! This chapter is almost twice as long as the others, but I couldn't find a good place to break it up, so I just... didn't. Enjoy! Please let me know if you like it!

Krolia arrived at Keith’s room just ahead of lunchtime. She’d asked to come first thing in the morning, and Keith had asked her to wait, given the way events had been unfolding at the time. She was curious about the delay, and he managed to stall her with questions about their allies and the coalition’s plans for repairing Earth’s cities and moving the civilians back to their homes, but eventually she ran out of news to share.

“Keith.”

He looked up from his plate. They were sharing some of the food Hunk’s parents had given him, and it was delicious, but he could barely get it down. He had resorted to chewing small bites for much longer than necessary while moving the rest of it around with his fork.

“I’m not going to pry,” she said, her expression soft, “but I would like to know what’s wrong.”

He thought through a number of possible responses. The two of them had grown close during their time in the quantum abyss, given that snapshots of their memories had been broadcast to one another at random, and even though it had happened without their consent, Keith was glad of it. It had spared him the work of trying to parse through the events of his childhood in the context of conversation, which, he guessed, could have been an excruciating task. He’d been happy to pay the price of temporary awkwardness and emotional contemplation to arrive at this place of mutual understanding. Love, even.

“I started… seeing someone,” he told her, watching her face as she tried to puzzle through this declaration. “Someone else on the team.”

“Oh.” She nodded. She didn’t look particularly surprised. “I had thought, maybe…”

He raised an eyebrow. “Thought what?”

“That you and Shiro might’ve-”

“ _No_.” The word carried a bit more weight than he’d meant it to. He put his fork down. “It’s Hunk.”

“Hunk? Really?”

He nodded. “It’s surprising?”

She looked up at the ceiling, thinking.

“Maybe not. I can see why you would admire each other.”

“We do. It was going really well, but then… Shiro forced his way in here this morning to talk to me about something, but I wasn’t in my room, because I was with Hunk. We were… sleeping. In his room. And Shiro found us like that, and he seemed… upset. Freaked out. He said some things, and then _Hunk_ said he thinks Shiro must have… feelings, for me.”

She tilted her head to one side. “I know you care about him, too.”

“Of _course,_ I do. But we haven’t… we’re not… it’s never been like that.”

“And you don’t want it to be?”

He moved the tip of his tongue around the inside of his cheek.

“I never wanted that kind of thing with anyone until I started spending time with Hunk. He _feels_ right, to me.”

“And Hunk knows this?”

“I’ve been trying to tell him. But he told me I need to talk to Shiro.”

She nodded. “I think I agree with him.”

Keith scowled, as if the force of his displeasure could will the complication away.

“Things felt so simple with Hunk, before.”

“Maybe they still can be. But I know how much Shiro means to you. If you want both of them to be part of your life, you’ll need to draw some boundaries.”

He took this in.

“What if they don’t want the same boundaries I do?”

She let out a small sigh.

“It’s always a risk, deciding to get close to someone. Realizing you can’t control what they want or how they feel. But you’re honest and honorable, Keith. You’ll find the right path. I know you will.”

 

* * *

 

Two hours later, Keith found himself in an empty meeting room at the Garrison headquarters, leaning against a rectangular conference table. He was sipping tea from a paper cup, trying to remember how he used to keep his mind occupied before he’d spent every waking moment trying to save the universe from almost-inevitable destruction. The fate of the universe was still a concern, of course, but he’d been granted a momentary respite, and he’d decided he wasn’t crazy about the idea. He wasn’t used to having time to sift through his accumulated emotional baggage, and he wasn’t sure he was feeling up to the task.

The door opened. Shiro stepped inside and closed it behind him.

“Thanks for coming,” Keith said.

“Wow…” Shiro mumbled, giving Keith a once-over. “I can’t even remember the last time I saw you wearing jeans.” Shiro was still in his uniform, looking tidy and formal as ever.

“Hunk’s parents brought them for me,” Keith said, anxious to introduce Hunk into the context of this conversation as soon as possible. He’d made a commitment. He didn’t want there to be any confusion about that.

“They seem like really nice people,” Shiro said, unfazed. “I know they were really worried about you.”

He leaned against the table, too, instead of settling into one of the many chairs that were arranged around it. He kept his distance, leaving a few feet of space between them.

“I think we need to talk about what happened this morning,” Keith blurted, anxious to get to the substance of the conversation.

Shiro crossed his arms over his chest.

“Yeah. We do. I need to apologize. I shouldn’t have walked in on you like that, and I know I have no business commenting on your personal life.”

Keith shook his head. “Try again.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why did you come to see me?”

“I told you, I wanted to see how you were-”

“Bullshit,” Keith spat, angry, now. “You were the _only_ person who didn’t lie to me, after my dad-”

He paused. He set his cup down on the table to keep from crushing it.

“You _can’t_ lie to me like that, Shiro.”

Shiro bowed his head, staring at a spot on the floor.

“Keith… this is hard for me.”

Keith winced, immediately regretting his harsh reaction. He knew that Shiro needed time and space, too, sometimes. Now, more than ever, given all that he’d been through.  

“I’m sorry,” he said, fighting to control the tone of his voice. “It’s just… Hunk thinks you have feelings for me.”

Shiro didn’t answer right away. Keith watched his shoulders rise and fall as he took a long, silent breath.

“Hunk is a brilliant guy,” Shiro finally said. He met Keith’s eye. “Keith… you’re the most important person in my life. Of course, I have feelings for you, but they’re… complicated. I thought if I talked to you about it, maybe we could… I don’t know. Spend some time figuring things out, or something. But then I saw you with Hunk, and I realized how stupid that was, thinking you’d just be hanging around while I sort myself out. While I figure out how to be _myself_ , again.” He shook his head. “I’m a mess. I’m… fractured. And Hunk is exactly the kind of person you deserve to have in your life, so… you should be with him.”

Keith nodded slowly. “I know.” He moved to Shiro’s side, leaving about a foot of space between them. “But I want to be there for you, too. You’re the most important person in my life, too, Shiro. I can’t lose you.”

Shiro shook his head. “You won’t. Not ever.”

Keith shrugged a little. “So what do we do, then?”

“Well… I was hoping we could be friends.”

“You think you can? I don’t want you to be… hurt. Because of me.”

“Let me worry about that. Seeing you happy… it’s something I’ve wanted for a really, really long time. I’ll figure out the rest.”

“I want you to be happy, too, Shiro.”

“I know. I think I just need some time.”

Keith nodded. “I can give you time.”

“Okay.” Shiro’s mouth turned up in a melancholy smile. “So go find Hunk. Tell him he has nothing to worry about. Enjoy your shore leave.”

He started for the door. Keith felt a tug in his chest, realizing that a window was about to close, that there was a part of himself that would always belong to Shiro, even if he chose to lock it away.

“Shiro.”

He stopped. He turned back toward Keith.

“I… I meant what I said,” Keith told him. “On that platform. I don’t regret it. I never will.”

Shiro nodded.

“I know. I love you, too.”

He left.

 

* * *

 

It was almost dinnertime by the time Keith made it back to the barracks, but he wasn’t hungry. He knew he wouldn’t be able to eat again until he saw Hunk, until they worked things out. He hadn’t sent Hunk a message – he didn’t want to stress him out or bother him if he was still with his family – so he didn’t actually know where Hunk was, but he was headed straight for his quarters, anyway. If Hunk was there, they could talk, and if he wasn’t, Keith would wait.

Hunk answered his door as soon as Keith knocked.

“Oh- hey,” Keith said. “You’re here.”

“Yeah. I was… waiting for you.”

Keith felt a hopeful pang in his chest.

“You were?”

“Duh. Come in.” Hunk stood to the side to let Keith pass and closed the door behind him. His voice was even, but his expression was uncharacteristically neutral, like it had been earlier, when Keith had gone to his hospital room. “Looks like the clothes fit, huh? They look good.”

“Yeah. They’re perfect. I… I love them. Thank you.”

Hunk shrugged a little. “I figured you’d want some of your own stuff.”

They were standing in the center of the room with about two feet of space lingering between them. Keith wished Hunk would close the gap, wished that he could fold himself into Hunk’s arms as easily as he had before. Hunk’s hesitation was chipping away at his heart.

“Yeah, but I meant… _thank you_ ,” he said, gesturing with his right hand, showing Hunk his open palm. _“_ It means a lot to me.”

“Well, you mean a lot to me, so…” Hunk frowned a little, shaking his head. “Keith, if this is over, can you just tell me right away? I can’t-”

“No,” Keith interrupted, stepping close to him, impulse finally overriding his anxiety. “Absolutely not.”

Hunk eyed him skeptically. “Did you talk to Shiro?”

“Yeah, I did. He told me I should be with you. We agreed. We’re just friends.”

“What?” Hunk looked legitimately confused. “Why?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’ve _met_ Shiro, right? Tall? Chiseled abs? Saves the world a lot?”

“Hunk-”

“And he loves you, right? So why wouldn’t you-”

 _“Hunk.”_ Keith stepped into his space, resting his hands on his upper arms. “What do I have to do to get you to believe I’m in this, with you? Do you need me to tell you how brilliant you are? That no one’s _ever_ made me laugh, like you do? That I’ve never wanted anyone else to…” He pulled Hunk’s hands onto his own waist. “…to do _this_ , with me? I’m choosing _you_ , okay? I’m here with _you_ , so… can’t you just be here with me?”

Hunk was staring. Keith could see a faint blush decorating his dark complexion.

“You’re choosing _me_?”

“ _Duh_ ,” Keith echoed.

Hunk broke into a grin.

“Oh my God, you look so hot in those jeans, I think I’m gonna die.”

Keith exhaled a giggle, starting to relax now that Hunk had broken the tension.

“I’m serious,” Hunk went on. “I wanted to say it so bad, but I didn’t know if… I mean, I wasn’t sure if we were still… y’know. Doing a thing, together.”

Keith stepped even closer to him, sliding his arms around his neck.

“We can do all kinds of things together,” he said. “Anything you want.”

“Oh, my God. Oh, holy shit.”

“You still want to?”

“Uh… Keith… you’re the coolest, sexiest, most awesome person in the entire universe, and I can’t even believe you’re here right now…” He moved one hand to Keith’s face and pressed his open palm along his jaw, letting Keith lean into him. “Yeah,” he finished. “Hell yeah, I still want to.”

“Show me,” Keith said.

Hunk kissed him: firm, perfect pressure against his lower lip.

Keith moved his fingers through Hunk’s hair.

Hunk pulled on Keith’s hips until their bodies pressed together.

Keith stood up on his tiptoes to equalize the height difference between them, tilting his head, opening his mouth for Hunk’s tongue.

Hunk moved his hands around to Keith’s lower back, lingered there for a moment, and then slid them down onto the curve of his ass. He _pulled_ -

 _“Nh-_ ” Keith broke off the kiss, open-mouthed. _“Again?”_

He felt one of Hunk’s huge hands conforming to the contour of his ass, felt Hunk’s fingertips pressing into the very top of his rear thigh. Hunk _pulled,_ again-

 _“Ah-_ ”

_“You like that?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Want to keep going?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“Okay. C’mon.”_

Hunk kept his hands right where they were and backed up, pulling Keith with him. They smiled between kisses as they kicked their shoes off, moving clumsily toward the bed, climbing onto it together, stretching out so they were chest-to-chest. Hunk took hold of the back of Keith’s leg, repositioning it so he could slot his knee between Keith’s thighs, and Keith felt his body responding to the show of strength and confidence. He nodded, taking in the varied, brown-and-gold hues he could see in Hunk’s irises at close range.

 _“Good?”_ Hunk asked, smiling.

 _“Yeah. Good. And, Hunk…”_ Keith paused, choosing his words carefully. _“I love that you’re careful – I mean, I appreciate it a lot – but you don’t have to be so cautious when we’re… heated.”_ He moved his hand to the collar of Hunk’s shirt and slipped his fingertips inside it, touching the smooth skin of his chest. _“Everything feels good, when we’re like this.”_

_“And you’d tell me if it didn’t?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Promise me.”_

_“I promise.”_

Hunk nodded, slid his hand up the back of Keith’s thigh, gripped the contour of his ass, and _pulled_ , grinding Keith’s body against his thigh-

_“Oh-”_

Keith leaned into the pleasurable throbbing, which was much more intense than he would’ve expected. He guessed the jeans had something to do with it; the denim was soft and pliable, and they were close-fitting, snug against his hips and thighs. He’d enjoyed pulling them on for the first time, and he was enjoying them even more now that he was getting hard- now that his cock was starting to strain against the confines of the fabric-

 _“Fuck, that felt good,”_ he breathed.

 _“Mh,”_ Hunk rumbled in response. _“I like making you curse, like that.”_

 _“Okay.”_ Keith licked his lips. _“Make me.”_

Hunk gripped firmly at Keith’s ass and pressed his knee up between his legs, meeting Keith’s body with his thigh in a slow grind-

 _“Fuck-”_ Keith let slip, throbbing against the soft fabric of his boxers as his groin made contact with the hard muscle of Hunk’s thigh. Hunk was _strong_ , Keith knew – solid and sturdy underneath his pleasing softness – and the idea of Hunk exercising that power with him, like this, was almost painfully exciting. He rolled his hips – Hunk _pressed_ his thigh up to meet him – and they exhaled together before meeting each other in a breathy, open-mouthed kiss. Keith went on riding Hunk’s thigh in a series of fluid thrusts, letting the snug denim of his jeans press back against the swell of his cock in bursts of delicious friction, feeling his arousal pulse from the core of his belly all the way down to his toes.

_More._

_“Hunk?”_

_“Mh?”_ Hunk was mouthing at his neck, now, grinding to meet him every time he rolled his hips.

_“What comes after this?”_

Hunk paused, lifted his head so they could see each other’s eyes.

_“Uh. I have a couple ideas.”_

Keith nodded. _“Show me.”_

_“You like the pressure, right? Like, if I put some of my weight on you?”_

Keith analyzed their current configuration. Hunk was partially on top of him already, holding him in place with the strength of his arm and the weight of his chest. Keith concluded that they should get undressed pretty soon, because he was in very real danger of coming all over the inside of his brand new boxers and jeans.

 _“Yes,”_ he said.

Hunk picked him up – fully _picked him up_ – using the strength of a single arm to haul Keith with him as he rose onto his knees. Keith held tight to his shoulders and slid his legs around Hunk’s waist, just barely registering Hunk’s wide smile before he found himself flat on his back. He watched Hunk’s eyes – (Hunk was so close, hovering just above him) – while he slid his knees against Hunk’s sides, feeling the sturdy, solid weight of Hunk’s body between his thighs.

He nodded.

Hunk braced one hand next to Keith’s ribcage, smoothed Keith’s hair back from his face with the other, and then kissed him, licking eagerly into his mouth, keeping the momentum building between them. Keith tilted his head, letting Hunk lick at the inside of his cheek, just past the corner of his mouth, while he slid his hand down Hunk’s shoulder to feel the swell of his flexing bicep.

Hunk was _strong._

Keith knew it was a quality he often admired in other people – part of the reason he’d grown to trust his teammates so thoroughly was because they could hold their own in combat – but it had never registered as something that could be considered sexually arousing. It _was,_ though, with Hunk. It had been thrilling, being picked up and laid out, like this. He liked that Hunk could manipulate his body. He liked thinking about what else Hunk could do to him, what else they could do to each other-

_“Nh-”_

He let his head fall back against the pillow as Hunk rocked against him, grinding firm, perfect pressure onto his straining, clothed erection. He pressed his knees into Hunk’s sides and tensed his hips so he could match Hunk’s next thrust, and their bodies met in a slow, grinding drag. The denim of Keith’s jeans was thin enough that he could feel the swell of Hunk’s cock pressing against his own, and the notion was exhilarating.

_He likes this. He likes me._

The thought had flickered through his mind many times since they’d gotten physical with each other, and the impact of it hit harder every time. It was exciting, knowing that Hunk was aroused, knowing that _he_ was the reason why, knowing that he was an equal partner in the mounting intimacy between them-

 _“Hunk,”_ he murmured, sliding his hands down Hunk’s body, grasping at his hips and his ass as they rolled against each other. _“You- nh- you feel so fucking good-”_

Hunk had been mouthing at his neck, under his ear, but he lifted his head and kissed Keith’s lips before he answered.

 _“Two things,”_ he said, breathless. _“First, making you feel good is, like, my favorite thing to do.”_ He rolled his hips.

_“Ah-”_

_“Uh huh. Like that. Jesus, when you open your mouth like that… mh…”_

Keith smiled, holding tight to Hunk’s biceps, gripping his hips with his knees.

 _“Second…”_ Hunk paused to take a breath while Keith rocked against him. _“Hah… you… you look fucking sexy in those jeans… but I kinda hate that you have them on, right now.”_

Keith moved his hand to Hunk’s chest, gathered a handful of his shirt, pulled him even closer.

 _“Oh yeah?”_ he murmured. _“What are you gonna do about it?”_

Hunk kissed him thoroughly, then sat back on his knees and popped the button on Keith’s jeans. He held Keith’s gaze while he pulled down on his zipper.

_“How flexible are you?”_

Keith grinned.

_“Very.”_

Hunk bit the corner of his lower lip, then looped his arms under Keith’s thighs and hoisted his legs up onto his shoulders. Keith exhaled, bracing his calves against Hunk’s chest while Hunk hooked his fingertips inside his jeans and boxers and started pulling them down. He was careful at first; Keith’s cock was swollen and leaking, and Hunk made sure it didn’t catch on elastic or denim as he freed Keith’s hips from his pants. He maneuvered Keith’s legs easily, removing his jeans and boxers from each ankle and pulling off his socks for good measure. He dropped the clothing in a heap on the floor, brought Keith’s calves to rest on his shoulders, again, and then leaned forward, using his body weight to bend Keith’s legs toward his chest.

He took his time, watching Keith’s face closely. Keith knew he was monitoring for discomfort, and he appreciated the gesture, but it was unnecessary; he was awash in pleasurable sensation, loving the satisfying stretch in his calves and hamstrings, and the feel of Hunk’s hands gripping at his bare legs and his bare hips, and the way his dick pulsed and jumped at the mere thought of Hunk’s arousal-

 _“Wait,”_ he said. Hunk paused, leaning over him, but still sitting partially upright on his knees.

 _“Pants off, babe,”_ Keith told him.

He’d been aching to try out the term of endearment, to see the expression on Hunk’s face when he heard it for the first time, and he wasn’t disappointed. Hunk’s eyes went wide, his mouth falling open as a barely-audible _oh_ escaped past his lips. He broke into a grin, recovering.

 _“Yes, Sir,”_ he teased, raising his hand to his forehead in a mock salute before letting go of Keith’s legs to undo his own button and zipper.

Keith kept his legs right where they belonged, though: braced against Hunk’s shoulders. Hunk was obviously overjoyed, but he was blushing nervously, too: a deep, crimson hue decorating the roundest part of his cheeks, and Keith was pleased that he only hesitated for a moment before sliding his pants and boxers down from his hips. His cock bobbed free, hanging heavily between Keith’s thighs, the tip slick and shining where precum had gathered as they’d been grinding against each other.

Keith reached forward, wrapped his fingers around it, and gave it a slow, confident stroke.

_“Nh…”_

Hunk exhaled a low groan, smiling, tilting his head to rest his cheek against Keith’s calf.

Keith stroked again.

_“Ah… uh, okay… Keith?”_

_“Uh huh?”_

_“Would you be okay if things got a little messy?”_

Keith felt a thrill of excitement in his chest.

_“Yes.”_

_“Whew. Okay. Hang on.”_ Hunk leaned forward the rest of the way; Keith’s legs moved easily toward his own shoulders until he was bent almost entirely in half. _“Holy shit…”_ Hunk’s breath was warm against his lips. _“This feels okay?”_

Keith took a shallow breath. He couldn’t expand his chest fully, and his hamstrings were stretched almost to their limit, but he loved the weight of Hunk’s body pressing down on him, and the feeling of Hunk’s hand moving up and down the back of his bare thigh, and the way Hunk’s cock was pressing against his own where it was caught between their bellies…

 _“Uh.”_ He swallowed. _“This feels fucking amazing.”_

_“Oh my God, you’re so hot. Ugh, I can’t even handle it.”_

Keith barely had time to exhale a laugh before Hunk was kissing him again. It was uncharacteristically clumsy; he opened his eyes and found Hunk reaching behind his head, toward the night stand next to the bed. He closed his eyes again and took the lead, feeling along the side of Hunk’s tongue with the tip of his own. Hunk could do _whatever the fuck he wanted_ , as far as Keith was concerned.

_“Mm…”_

Hunk hummed pleasantly against his lips before he sat back on his knees a bit, giving Keith some breathing room, though Keith wasn’t sure he wanted any.

 _“Lemme see your hand, okay?”_ Hunk prompted. He was holding a translucent jar that looked like it was filled with liquid. Keith slid one arm down from his neck and opened his palm in Hunk’s direction, and Hunk opened the jar, dipped his thumb inside, and then dabbed a small amount of the liquid on the pad of Keith’s index finger. Keith smoothed at it with his thumb; it warmed instantly, and his fingers glided together with a surprising lack of friction. Hunk raised his eyebrows.

_“Feel okay?”_

_“Yeah… where did you get this?”_

_“I made it. It’s safe. I’ve been using it for, like, a year.”_

Keith nodded. _“I trust you.”_

_“Can I put some on you? Or… us? Both of us?”_

_“Yeah.”_

Hunk straightened up completely. He held the jar just over Keith’s belly and let some of the liquid drizzle onto both of their cocks. He smoothed it over Keith’s first, stroking him from base to tip with a practiced motion that had Keith flexing his feet where they were resting over Hunk’s shoulders. He flashed Keith an affectionate smile, then took his own cock in his palm, too, the span of his hand easily accommodating their combined thickness. He stroked them together-

_“Mh-”_

_“Ah-”_

Keith shivered at the throbbing intensity of the sensation. Hunk’s hand still seemed massive, even though he was fisting both of their cocks, the insides of his fingers so slick and warm and smooth against his foreskin and his head-

_“Hah-”_

Keith tried to buck up against Hunk’s palm as he started moving his hand in a series of restrained strokes, but he failed, restricted as his movement was with his legs still braced against Hunk’s chest. He settled for gripping at the sheets instead while Hunk stared down at him, all flushed cheeks and parted lips.

_“Should I put you down?”_

_“Fuck- no, you shouldn’t-”_

Hunk let out a breathy giggle. He let go of Keith (who actually _whined_ in protest) so he could screw the cover back on the jar and set it aside, and then he took both of their cocks in hand again and bent forward, bracing his hand on the mattress next to Keith’s shoulder. He slid his palm up over their heads, strong fingers moving deftly over sensitive skin, but Keith noticed the blush returning to his cheeks, even as he arched in response to Hunk’s touch. He moved his hands onto Hunk’s arms and gave him a reassuring squeeze.

 _“Hey,”_ he said. _“Come down here.”_

Hunk leaned all the way forward, bending Keith double, again. Keith let out a muffled groan as the weight of Hunk’s body intensified the pressure on his cock.

 _“Uh… hey,”_ Hunk managed, eyelids fluttering. _“I have a confession to make.”_

Keith smiled. _“Okay. Out with it.”_

_“I have NO idea what I’m doing.”_

_“Mh.”_ Keith squirmed underneath him, just enough to get some friction going between them. _“Sure feels like you do.”_

_“Yeah?”_

Hunk rocked his hips. Blissful, aching pressure bloomed deep inside Keith’s core.

_“Fuck- nh- more, Hunk, okay?”_

Hunk tried it again, thrusting against Keith’s cock, using the weight of his body to slide their lengths through his closed fist-

_“Mh- like that-?”_

_“Ah- uh huh- like that-”_

Keith nodded up at him as he fell into a restrained rhythm, grasping at his arm with one hand, grabbing at the sheets with the other. He couldn’t match Hunk’s movements – his lower body was completely immobilized under Hunk’s weight – and it was, by far, the most erotic, the most _intimate_ thing that had ever happened to him. In combat, he used every ounce of skill and cunning he possessed to avoid being taken to the ground, to keep from leaving himself exposed and vulnerable. And yet he _wanted_ Hunk to see him this way, to _have_ him this way…

His trust in Hunk, he realized, was limitless.

He thought about saying so, but the words escaped him, because Hunk was grinding against him, using his hips and his hand to _stroke_ him and _squeeze_ him and _steer_ him toward blissful release…

He gathered a handful of Hunk’s shirt, pulled him down, and kissed his open mouth, already awash in sensation, craving even more. He ran his tongue along Hunk’s lower lip while Hunk thrusted against his cock, feeling the rim of his head slide over the edge of one of Hunk’s fingers, feeling the swell and pulse of Hunk’s erection matching perfectly with the mounting tension below his belly, as if Hunk’s length were part of his own body, too. He broke off the kiss-

_“Hunk- ah- I’m-”_

_“Close-?”_

_“Uh huh-”_

Hunk sat up on his knees and pushed Keith’s shirt up around his chest, and then he gripped Keith’s thigh and _stroked_ , pumping their lengths together inside the slick heat of his hand-

_“Fuck! Ah-!”_

Keith hovered on the edge for a moment – memorizing the look on Hunk’s face, and the touch of his hand – and then the tension inside him finally broke. He shot partway up his stomach before Hunk managed to contain the flood of cum with his hand, slowing his strokes to a crawl while Keith shuddered and gripped at his forearm-

_“Ah- hah- Hunk-”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“Put me down-”_

Hunk complied immediately, leaning back so Keith could move his legs down from his shoulders. Keith scrambled onto his knees as soon as he was able and pulled off his shirt, letting it fall onto the floor. He leaned into Hunk’s space, draping his left arm around Hunk’s neck, wrapping his right hand around Hunk’s cock-

_“Oh-”_

He started to stroke, working his way up to the speed and intensity Hunk had left off at, feeling Hunk’s panting breath on his lips as they watched each other’s eyes.

_“Hunk.”_

Hunk blinked back at him, exhaling a high, pleading sound by way of answer.

_“You waited for me to come first?”_

Hunk nodded, licked his lips.

_“Because you’re sweet. So sweet to me. I’ll take care of you, too, babe.”_

Hunk _whimpered._ He took hold of Keith’s waist and pressed his cheek against Keith’s hair.

Keith held steady at a moderate pace until he heard Hunk’s breath catching in throat, and then he increased his speed and let his fingers tangle in Hunk’s hair-

_“Mh- ahh-”_

Hunk spilled onto his hand, fingertips digging into the soft flesh of Keith’s hips. Keith stroked at the base of his cock while the tension broke in waves, and then he let his hand glide up and down Hunk’s considerable length, pulling him through the aftershocks. Hunk groaned, then relaxed, then sighed, pulling Keith into a close hug.

Keith let go of his length so he could slide both arms around Hunk’s shoulders, settling eagerly into his embrace. He stared at his own hand for a moment, then licked tentatively at the cum that was coating his thumb and index finger. He winced a bit at the bitter taste, glad that Hunk couldn’t see his face, just now, but he refused to let the discomfort overtake him. The taste wasn’t as bad as he’d anticipated, and he wanted to learn to tolerate it, for Hunk’s sake.

 _“Hunk?”_ he murmured.

_“Mm?”_

_“I think I ruined your shirt.”_

It was true. His belly had been slick with cum and lube, and it was currently pressed flush against the front of Hunk’s yellow t-shirt.

Hunk rumbled a low laugh that vibrated against his chest.

_“Don’t care. Worth it.”_

Keith smiled to himself, enjoying being held. They were quiet for a moment, breathing in pleasant synchrony.

 _“Keith?”_ Hunk’s voice was soft and sweet.

_“Uh huh?”_

_“Want to take a shower with me?”_

Keith pressed a slow kiss against the back of his neck.

_“Yeah.”_

_“Can I… carry you?”_

Keith tightened his arms around Hunk’s shoulders.

_“Yes. You can.”_

* * *

A while later, Hunk was down on one knee on the tile floor of his shower, smoothing suds over Keith’s stomach, and his thighs, and his most intimate places. Keith was sighing, holding Hunk’s damp hair away from his forehead.

“Hunk?”

Hunk looked up at him, wearing a smile that could only be described as _reverent_.

“Yeah, babe?”

“What we just did… did that count as, like… sex?”

Hunk ran one hand down the side of Keith’s body, from his waist to the hard muscle above his knee.

“I think it can, if you want it to.”

“Okay, because… I can’t really picture anything feeling better than that. But I know there are other things that might, so if you want to try them… um… I just wanted to tell you that I’ll try anything, with you.”

Hunk cupped his hand under the running water and let it flow over the crease of Keith’s hip so he could press his lips there.

“Keith?”

“Mm?”

Hunk kissed him again. “I love this. All of this.”

Keith nodded.

“Me too.”

“Can I try something right now?”

“Yeah. Anything you want.”

Hunk nosed affectionately at his belly, then lathered suds between his palms again with the soap he was still holding. He slid one hand between Keith’s thighs, gently massaging the space behind his balls with the heel of his hand. Keith let the air out of his lungs; the spot was alive with post-orgasm sensitivity. He met Hunk’s eye and nodded.

Hunk took his time, massaging slow circles, working his way backward, giving Keith room to protest.

He didn’t, of course. The trust between them ran deep. He could guess what Hunk was planning to do, and he prepared himself for it, taking slow, even breaths, holding firmly to Hunk’s shoulders.

Hunk put his mouth on Keith’s lower belly and slid one fingertip over the tight pucker of his entrance. He raised his eyebrows in Keith’s direction.

Keith sighed, swallowed, nodded.

Hunk tried it again: one soap-slick fingertip tracing a firm circle around the sensitive skin.

Keith tried to analyze the feel of it. As usual, Hunk’s intuition about Keith’s body was startlingly accurate. Keith knew a lighter touch would’ve felt uncomfortable, and firmer pressure would’ve felt intrusive. This felt like a gentle invitation, just like everything Hunk did, until he was sure about what Keith wanted.

But Keith wasn’t sure, this time. Here and now, he could let Hunk touch him like this. He was as relaxed as he’d ever been, still floating somewhere in the realm of post-orgasmic bliss. They were both covered in suds, with soap and warm, running water within reach. Hunk’s fingers felt _good._

But could he do this when they were in bed together? Could he let Hunk touch him like this, under different circumstances?

Could he let Hunk inside?

“Babe?”

He opened his eyes, realizing with a flare of embarrassment that he’d been squeezing them shut. Hunk was standing in front of him, his hands back in a neutral position, resting firmly on Keith’s hips.

“Hey,” Keith said. “Sorry, I was just… thinking.”

Hunk nodded.

“Keith… I know you like to challenge yourself, but you don’t have to do that with me. I only want to do things that feel good, for you.”

“I know that.” Keith chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain. “But, Hunk… sometimes, when things are hard for me, I just need time to practice. Adapt. Sometimes I just need to do something a certain way.”

Hunk looked thoughtful at this, as if he’d had an idea, but he didn’t say anything.

“It felt good,” Keith added. “What you just did. I liked it. I know you’re not going to put pressure on me, but don’t give up on me too quickly, either. Okay?”

Hunk stepped closer to him. “I will absolutely _never_ give up on you. You’re my _whatever_.” There was laughter in his voice. “My person. My boyfriend. And… all that stuff we just did… I think I could probably do that every day for, like… forever.” He dropped his gaze as he said the word, but he went on talking, moving one hand up and down the curve of Keith’s hip. “I know exactly how lucky I am that you’re here with me right now, so just in case you couldn’t tell, I…” He met Keith’s eye, again. He swept a lock of damp hair away from Keith’s neck and put his hand there, instead. “I really, _really_ want this, with you, and I’m going to do everything I can to deserve you.”

Keith stared, resisting the urge to point out the ridiculousness of this declaration. He knew himself well – knew exactly how moody and difficult and inarticulate he could be. He didn’t know the first thing about romance or relationships, and he knew even less about sex and sexuality. Yet somehow, miraculously, one of the most perfect people he’d ever known was standing here, holding him, and trying to figure out how to _earn_ the privilege of it. It was laughable.

Keith didn’t laugh, though. He scolded himself instead, feeling guilty for entertaining the self-deprecating thoughts, even for a moment. Hunk wouldn’t agree, and he certainly wouldn’t approve. Hunk looked at him and saw someone… _better._

“I trust you,” Keith blurted, because he couldn’t think of another way to convey the depth of what he was feeling. “I think I trust you more than I’ve ever trusted anyone. And you earned that, already. It’s like, I don’t even have to tell you what to do, or explain myself to you. It’s like…” He slid his arms around Hunk’s neck. “It’s like you really _know_ me.”

“Because you let me,” Hunk said.

“Because you’re special,” Keith told him.

They hugged each other. Keith shivered a little, goosebumps prickling along his forearms from the chill of standing only partially under the running water.

 _“Cold?”_ Hunk murmured.

_“I’m okay.”_

_“Want to get out soon?”_

_“No.”_ Keith hugged him a little tighter. _“I want you to try to touch me, again.”_

Hunk moved one warm, strong hand to rest low on the small of his back.

_“You’re sure?”_

Keith closed his eyes, contemplating the privilege of feeling Hunk’s hands on his body.

_“I’m sure.”_


	5. What Are The Steps?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, thanks for your patience on this one. I'm still recovering from Season 8. This will be my last update before the holidays hit, so I'll see you all in the new year. Wishing you the best, you've been an amazing audience so far and you've made it so enjoyable to keep working on this story. Please let me know if you like the chapter!
> 
> Love, Kay

“Babe?”

“Mm?”

“Does this still feel okay?”

Keith let out a contented sigh. He was still in the shower with Hunk, letting himself be held while Hunk smoothed his soap-slick fingers over the circle of his entrance.

“It feels really nice,” he murmured, tracing between Hunk’s shoulder blades with his fingertips while they hugged each other close, chest-to-chest. “I love your hands.”

“Really?”

“Uh huh. They’re so big. Never clumsy, though. Precise. Strong. Like you.”

 _“Oh,”_ Hunk breathed. “Wow. That’s… wow.” He pressed a kiss against Keith’s neck. “Thank you. For saying that.”

“It’s true.” Keith pressed his lips against Hunk’s shoulder, then rested his cheek there, again. “I’m going to try to learn to say more true things, for you. I know I’m not always the best at saying what’s on my mind.”

“You’ve told me plenty of true things.”

“Not enough. I can do better.”

“Oh yeah?” Hunk’s tone was light. Teasing. He’d added a third finger where two had been before, massaging around the circle of Keith’s opening with a little more pressure. “Want to trade off? Maybe I can help you up your game.”

Keith’s breath caught a bit as the new pattern of movement registered. The sensation had started out as merely tolerable, but now he found himself shifting his hips once in a while, tracking the movement of Hunk’s hand. The first flickers of arousal were kindling at his core.

“Yeah,” he said. “You’re on.”

“Okay.”

Hunk was quiet for a moment. He was working at Keith’s ass with both hands, massaging one cheek slowly with his palm while his fingertips rubbed and stroked around his sensitive ring.

“I love your mouth,” he eventually said. “Like, every single thing about it. I love how you kinda pout a little bit when you’re thinking about something. Like, concentrating. And I love how it looks when you’re talking about something you care about, because you’re so smart and it all comes out in this really fluid stream, like you planned it ahead of time. And I love how you kiss, like you really care about what it’s supposed to feel like, and… I love all the things you do with your tongue, and… I just love the way it feels. Everywhere. I think I could kiss you, or _be_ kissed by you, like, all day, every day, for a whole week without stopping. Maybe even more than that. I mean, I guess maybe our mouths would get tired, but I honestly don’t think I would care. I think I would just keep kissing you anyway.”

Keith closed his eyes and let the words wash over him, let Hunk’s sweetness surround him.

“I love it when you say things like that,” he murmured. “I already loved that about you. I mean, the fact that you’re so… sweet. Kind. You figure out how to see the best in everything, and you just _say it out loud_ , like it’s the easiest thing in the world.”

“It is the easiest thing in the world, with you.” Hunk sounded serious, now. “It’s not hard for me to think of nice things to say about you. It’s hard to stop myself from blurting them all out so I don’t sound like a total crazy person.”

Keith brought one hand to rest on the back of Hunk’s neck.

“I like it when you blurt things out.”

“Okay, well, your hair is really soft, and you always smell really good, and I can’t even believe you want to be naked with me because your body is a fucking _masterpiece, holy shit_ , and also, I want you to sleep with me, like, every night.”

Keith swallowed.

“Okay.”

Hunk laughed a low rumble.

“Okay, what?”

“Um. Okay, I’ll sleep with you every night.”

Hunk stopped moving his hands.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I mean, whenever we can. I could wear long sleeves tonight if you… um… if you wanted to leave your shirt off, or-”

“Yeah,” Hunk said immediately. “That would be really, really good.”

Keith smiled to himself. “Okay.”

Hunk shivered a little. The shower stall was more than big enough for the two of them, but they’d been trying to share the flow of warm water from the shower head, and the air was shockingly cool outside its radius. Hunk kept repositioning Keith, too, making sure most of the water was pouring onto his shoulder. Keith knew he must be getting cold.

“We can get out, if you need to,” he offered.

Hunk’s hands were still, though he was still holding firmly to the contour of Keith’s ass.

“Can I give you a couple options?”

“Sure.”

Hunk slid one hand up to Keith’s lower back, pulled him even closer.

“We could keep going,” he murmured. “I mean, we could try some other things, if you want to, but… I think it would be good if you took time to think about it, too. So if you want to stop, I could make you some dinner, instead.”

Keith took this in.

He was only vaguely aware of what _other things_ Hunk might be suggesting. He knew guys could have sex with each other – could _penetrate_ each other – and after everything he and Hunk had done together so far, he was starting to be curious about what it might be like. He had no idea how to go about it, but he guessed Hunk could help him figure it out, and if it felt anything like what they’d just done in bed together, he wanted to try it out as soon as possible.

“We could… I mean, if you want to… we could try to… um…”

Hunk leaned back a little bit so they could see each other’s eyes.

“It’s okay, babe. You can tell me.”

“We could have sex?” Keith blurted. It came out like a question.

Hunk’s eyes went wide. “Oh.” He opened his mouth, and it hung like that for a moment while they stared at each other. Keith could feel his cheeks starting to burn.

“I… I just meant-”

“Wow,” Hunk breathed. “Okay, _yes_ , I definitely want to do that, but I’m not… um… ready?”

Keith took a step back from him, shaken. They had gotten so close to each other – had been so _intimate_ with each other – he’d assumed he could count on Hunk’s enthusiastic agreement. It hadn’t occurred to him that Hunk might not feel ready to take this step with him.

“Right, I… I was just-”

“Shit. No. That came out wrong. I just meant…” Hunk hesitated, frowning, while Keith resisted the urge to bolt from the stall. “I meant, I’m not, like, _prepped,_ ” Hunk explained, gesturing vaguely with one hand. “I’ve never had anything that… _big_ … inside me before, so, I would have to… I mean, we would have to… _shit_.” He swiped his damp hair away from his forehead. “I just made this super awkward, didn’t I? I’m sorry.”

Keith stared, trying to puzzle through what Hunk had just told him while the weight of his own inexperience came crashing down around his ears.

“No, I… fuck.” Keith gathered his hair between both hands and started squeezing the water out of it, suddenly very aware of the way the droplets were falling onto his shoulders and back. “I don’t even know what I’m talking about. I thought _you_ could… with _me_ …”

“Oh! Oh, Keith…” Hunk reached for him, and Keith stepped back into his arms automatically, as if gravity had pulled him there. “That’s amazing,” Hunk told him. “You’re _amazing._ But… can we just, uh, back things up, for a second?”

Keith nodded. He rested his hands on Hunk’s upper arms, but he stayed silent, afraid of how his voice might sound if he tried to speak.

“I’m sorry,” Hunk said. “I just got, like, _really_ nervous, because… it would be a really big deal to me, if we did that, and I really, really want to, but we can’t just jump right into it. I mean we _physically_ can’t. It would hurt, and that would be bad, so we just need to, like, figure out the steps that come first. Okay?”

Keith nodded again, reassured by Hunk’s directness. “Okay. Um. What are the steps?”

Hunk grinned. “C’mon. Let’s get dried off. I’ll make you anything you want to eat, and we can talk about it.”

 

* * *

 

“Okay. Brace yourself. This story is ridiculous.”

“I’m ready.”

“Are you? Really? I can give you a minute to prepare yourself.”

Keith giggled. He and Hunk were in the kitchen down the hall from their quarters, chopping vegetables together at the counter while they waited for water to boil on the stove. Hunk had tried to insist on preparing dinner by himself, but he’d given in easily when Keith had insisted on helping. Keith had recovered from his earlier bout of embarrassed anxiety, but he was still glad to have a task to focus on while they talked.

“I think I can handle it,” he teased.

“That’s good, because I definitely can’t. Oh my God, it’s so embarrassing, and you can never tell _anyone._ ESPECIALLY Lance.”

“I won’t. I swear.”

“Okay.” Hunk dumped a pile of chopped broccoli into a bowl and started peeling a carrot. “So Lance and I were roommates when we were cadets, right? But I was in the engineering track, so our class schedules didn’t always match up, which was kinda nice, because we both got the room to ourselves sometimes, if we wanted it. We both liked to shower in the morning, so I would just sleep in and shower a little later on the days that Lance had early classes. And…” Hunk paused and turned in Keith’s direction, gesturing casually with the half-peeled carrot. “Let me preface this by saying that shower time was _supposed_ to be designated _private time_. We didn’t, like, hash out every detail of our masturbation habits, or whatever, but you better believe I didn’t go anywhere near the bathroom if I came back from class and Lance was taking a shower in there. Oh, and by the way, Lance is fucking _loud_. I kept waiting to find out he was actually getting fucked by someone in there, but no, always flying solo, just mouthy as _hell_.”

Keith giggled. Hunk flashed him a grin and went back to peeling.

“So anyway. I knew Lance would mess around with guys once in a while, and I think he could tell I was curious about the idea of it, because he would just kinda talk to me about it sometimes. He was always really cool about it, too, and I kinda felt like I might want to try it, sometime – being with a guy, I mean – so I figured I would try out some… uh… anal stuff?”

Hunk paused. Keith risked a glance in his direction and found him staring pointedly at the carrot he was now chopping, blushing furiously.

“That’s cool,” he said, trying his best to sound encouraging. He doubted he’d be able to make it through a story like this, either, and he knew Hunk was telling it for his benefit. “What did you do?”

“Uh.” Hunk cleared his throat. “I… fingered myself. In the shower. I waited until I knew Lance was supposed to be in class for a couple hours, and then I tried it out. It was definitely awkward and, like, kinda uncomfortable at first? But then I started to figure out what to do, and _holy shit,_ it felt _really_ good, so I was like, y’know, pretty busy blowing my own mind in the shower, when fucking _Lance_ just BARGES RIGHT INTO THE BATHROOM and starts telling me this story about how someone hacked into the flight sims and corrupted everyone’s data for the last couple days… meanwhile I’m _literally fucking myself_ on the other side of the shower curtain, and… well… you know how you can get to a certain point where you’re just gonna come, no matter what?”

“Oh no,” Keith whispered, half-amused, half-horrified.

“Oh yes! I came, like, _literally_ harder than I’d ever come in my entire life while Lance was six inches away from me talking about his fucking _flight stats._ UGH.”

Keith dissolved into a fit of laughter so dramatic, he had to set his knife down on the cutting board. Hunk joined in, finally turning to face him, reaching over to tuck a lock of hair behind his ear while his shoulders shook.

“Man, I love to see you laugh like that,” Hunk said, once he’d regained some of his composure. “Add that to the list of things I love about your mouth.”

“Hunk,” Keith managed, holding one hand against his stomach, trying to catch his breath. “I’m _so sorry_ I have to tell you this, but… I’m the one who hacked the flight sims.”

Hunk gaped.

“SHUT UP.”

Keith giggled weakly.

“Uh huh. I was trying to throw Griffin off his game. I thought I could make it look like his logs got wiped, just for a few hours, but I ended up fucking up the whole system…”

Hunk stepped close to him. He put the knuckle of his index finger under Keith’s chin and tipped it upward, and he spoke in a low, teasing tone.

“You’re responsible for the single most mortifying moment of my entire life?”

Keith smiled.

“Sounds like it.”

“Jesus. Good thing you’re so fucking cute.”

Keith was still smiling when their lips met, though he was opening his mouth before long, sliding his arms around Hunk’s shoulders while the tip of Hunk’s tongue made contact with the inside of his cheek. He couldn’t believe how much Hunk had refined his technique already, after only a day of practice. The warm, stroking precision of it made him pleasantly dizzy, and he leaned all his weight against Hunk’s sturdy frame while they tasted each other, sighing against each other’s lips. Hunk put his hand on the back of Keith’s thigh and pulled a little bit, and Keith lifted his knee so Hunk could hold it up against his hip. Hunk’s thigh was slotted between his legs, now, and Hunk’s tongue was moving slowly toward the corner of his mouth, and Keith knew it would be _so easy_ to just _rock_ his hips forward… so he did.

 _“Mh…”_ Hunk rumbled a low laugh against his lips. _“Feels so good when you do that. I thought I was gonna lose it earlier, just from doing this.”_ He pulled on the back of Keith’s leg, forcing Keith’s crotch against his thigh again.

 _“Ah- uh huh- me too…”_ Keith hugged Hunk close, pressing his cheek against his shoulder. _“I’m glad you didn’t, though. I mean, I liked what came after that.”_

_“Uh, yeah, that was the hottest thing that’s ever happened to me.”_

_“Me too.”_

Keith tilted his head to let Hunk mouth at his neck.

He heard a sizzling sound from the stove a few feet away.

_“Mm. I think the water’s boiling-”_

He exhaled as Hunk pulled on the back of his thigh again.

 _“Fuck it,”_ Hunk mumbled, pulling the neckline of his shirt to the side to press a kiss over his collarbone. _“We can boil more water.”_

Keith smiled, open-mouthed, while Hunk’s lips moved over all the bare skin he could reach.

 _“So… it felt good?”_ Keith murmured. _“What you did in the shower?”_

 _“Mhm.”_ Hunk was kissing his way toward the back of his neck, now. _“That was just the first time. I’ve had a lot more practice since then.”_

_“You think you could show me?”_

Hunk lifted his head, found his eyes.

“It can be… messy. Uncomfortable, at first. We don’t have to rush any of this.”

Keith hooked one set of fingertips inside the neckline of Hunk’s shirt.

“Even if I want to?”

“I… I just want you to like all the things we do together.”

Keith nodded slowly. Hunk was right. He had no idea how he might react to the mess, or to the unfamiliar sensation, or to any kind of significant discomfort in the context of intimacy. He had to remind himself that he’d bolted from the room the first time they’d gotten physical with each other. It wouldn’t be fair to keep putting Hunk through that.

“I think I have a couple ideas,” Hunk said. “I need some time to work on them tomorrow. Could we wait until then?”

“Of course. Can I help?”

“Um. I think I want it to be a surprise?”

Keith found himself smiling. He didn’t usually like surprises, but he knew he would, if it came from Hunk.

“Sure.”

 

* * *

 

It took Keith almost an hour to finish all of the food on his plate, not because he didn’t like it, but because he couldn’t stop _laughing._ Hunk kept him entertained with stories about his early days as a cadet, and Keith couldn’t tell if they truly were hysterically funny, or if he was just high on Hunk’s energy. He chewed and swallowed small bites, giggling and covering his mouth with his hand, falling in love with the varied soundscape of Hunk’s voice, and the spark of enthusiasm in his gaze, and the way he managed to gesture wildly with both hands, even when he was holding a fork.

Falling in love with the way Hunk had focused all his attention on him, as if they were the only two people in the world.

Falling in love.

“Keith?”

_Falling in love._

“Babe?”

Keith blinked. He’d been turning it over in his mind, this phrase that had once felt so foreign to him. He’d often felt mocked by the notion of _falling in love_ : one more defining experience of humanity he’d been sure he could never relate to.

Until now.

“Sorry,” he said. “I spaced for a second.”

“That’s okay!” Hunk rested a hand briefly on his arm. They’d just finished tidying up in the kitchen and stepped back into the hallway. “I was just asking if we could take a quick detour. I could use your help in the engineering lab for a few minutes.”

“Sure.”

“Awesome. Want to walk outside? Or take the pedestrian bridge?”

“I can call Kosmo! He can warp us right over there.”

Normally, Keith wouldn’t have minded the walk, especially as an excuse to spend more time with Hunk. But he didn’t _need_ an excuse. They were going to spend the rest of the night together, and as much as he’d enjoyed dinner, he wanted to get back to the privacy of Hunk’s quarters as soon as possible.

He called Kosmo’s name toward the ceiling, and the wolf appeared in a shimmer of light, prancing between them. Hunk knelt down to scratch around Kosmo’s mane, running his fingers through his thick, sleek fur. Kosmo _rowled_ appreciatively and rested his head on Hunk’s shoulder, so Hunk hugged him around his neck, his broad frame and huge hands making Kosmo look strangely proportionate rather than startlingly large. Keith felt a tug somewhere inside his ribcage, watching the exchange of affection between his two companions.

 _Mine,_ he thought.

Kosmo warped them instantaneously to the engineering lab in the building next door, which was well-lit despite the lateness of the hour, alive with the subtle whir and blinking lights of console screens and other equipment. One of the tables near the center of the room was obscured by several prosthetic arms, one of them connected to a portable computer by a mess of cabling.

“Don’t tell Shiro,” Hunk said. “Sam and Pidge are working on a prototype for interchangeable prosthetics. They thought he might eventually want to wear something less… intense? But they wanted to get it right before telling him anything.”

Keith nodded. “I won’t tell him. He’ll appreciate it, though. It’s a good idea.”

“Yeah. I hope it could help him. He’s been through so much, y’know?”

Keith stepped closer to him.

“Yeah. We all have.”

Hunk met his eye with a soft smile. He picked up Keith’s hand and led him to a set of shelving along one wall that housed a variety of equipment, most of which Keith couldn’t begin to identify. Hunk selected a small, silver, handheld device and switched it on.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, flashing Keith a grin.

“More than anyone,” Keith blurted.

Hunk’s eyes went wide.

“Jesus, Keith. You’re so…” He gestured vaguely with one hand. “You’re _so_ …”

Keith raised his eyebrows.

“ _So_ what?”

“So _sweet_!” Hunk laughed. Keith feigned a scowl.

“Am not.”

“Are too!”

“No. Definitely not.”

Hunk giggled. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. You can save it all for me.”

Keith nodded. “That’s the plan.”

Hunk laughed again, shaking his head. “Man. You’re, like, painfully cute. Here… let me see your hands…”

Keith held them out, palms down. Hunk tapped at the digital display on the device he was holding until a beam of light appeared, projecting from the opposite end of it. He went on tapping, adjusting the dimensions of the beam until it was flat and triangular. He angled the device so the field of light was above one of Keith’s hands and moved it down, making sure the beam had moved all the way below his palm before he moved it back up again.

“Taking impressions?” Keith asked.

“Uh huh.” Hunk repeated the process with Keith’s other hand.

“Is this part of the surprise?”

“Yep!” He took impressions of his own hands, too. “Do you mind if I save the data to my personal account? I won’t let anyone have access to it.”

“Sure.”

Hunk tapped at the display for a few more seconds, then switched off the device and replaced it on the shelf.

“Okay!” He beamed at Keith. “So… you want to head back to-”

“Yes,” Keith interrupted. “Let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

They warped back to Keith’s quarters first. He changed into his long pajama bottoms, then went through his limited supply of shirts, quickly realizing that he didn’t have anything with long sleeves, except for the hoodie he’d been wearing all day. He’d been picturing how he and Hunk might sleep together overnight, and as much as he was looking forward to touching Hunk’s skin with his hands, he knew too much skin-on-skin contact would eventually get sweaty and uncomfortable. He didn’t want that. He wanted Hunk to know how excited he was to spend the night together.

“Uh… Keith?” He looked up from the short-sleeve t-shirt he was holding. “Do you want to wear one of my shirts? I think I have one you might like.”

Hunk was blushing faintly. Not smiling. _Nervous,_ Keith thought. It was incredibly endearing that Hunk might be nervous about this, given everything they’d already done together. He flashed Hunk the warmest smile he could muster.

“Yeah,” Keith told him. “I’d really like that.”

 

* * *

 

Keith _did_ like the shirt Hunk picked out for him. He usually preferred his clothes to be close-fitting, but the material of the black, long-sleeved shirt was incredibly soft and smooth, sliding pleasantly against his skin whenever he moved.

He wasn’t moving much right now, though. He was wedged comfortably between Hunk’s body and the wall, tracing the smooth skin of Hunk’s bare chest and shoulder with his fingertips. His knee was wedged between Hunk’s thighs. His eyes were closed.

 _“That feels really nice,”_ Hunk murmured. His breath smelled sweet from the drinks they’d shared after dinner: mint and lime juice and just the right amount of sugar.

 _“It does,”_ Keith confirmed. _“You do.”_

Hunk kissed his lips, briefly. He tasted sweet, too.

_“Keith?”_

_“Mm?”_

_“Was tonight our first date?”_

Keith opened his eyes.

_“Maybe. Did you want it to be?”_

_“Yeah. But I feel like I didn’t ask you properly. I should’ve done a better job.”_

Keith shook his head.

_“I don’t care about stuff like that. You know that.”_

_“I know, but… I do. So… will you go out with me tomorrow?”_

Keith smiled. _“Yeah.”_ He cleared his throat, scrambling for a better response. Hunk cared about stuff like this. _“I mean… I’d love to.”_

 _“I had a lot of fun tonight,”_ Hunk said.

_“So did I.”_

_“And I’m really, really glad you’re here.”_

Keith tried to stifle a yawn. He’d been wide awake a few minutes ago, but the heat of Hunk’s body and the low tone of his voice were so calming, he knew he could easily drift off to sleep any minute.

_“Me too.”_

_“So… want to go to sleep?”_

_“Not yet,”_ Keith murmured, fighting the fatigue.

They kissed each other for a while.

Hunk was sleepy, too. Keith could tell by the way he moved his tongue: slowly, almost lazily, exploring one part of Keith’s mouth fully before moving onto the next. His technique hadn’t suffered at all, though. If anything, Keith was enjoying it even more than he normally did, since neither of them were rushing ahead to pulling off each other’s clothes, and he had time to examine what Hunk was doing.

Hunk was kissing him _exactly_ how he wanted to be kissed.

 _“Hunk?”_ Keith murmured, reluctantly breaking off the kiss. _“You… you learned how to do this for me, right? The way you kiss, I mean?”_

_“Uh. Yeah. Does it still feel okay?”_

_“Yeah. It feels amazing. So… are there things you want me to do for you? Things you like?”_

_“Oh. I mean, I like everything you do. Can’t you tell?”_

_“Yeah. But I meant, specifically.”_

Hunk looked thoughtful.

_“Well… I really like the way you touch my hair. When we’re kissing, or not kissing, or… doing other stuff. It feels really nice, and it feels like you like doing it, so…”_

Keith nodded. _“I do.”_

He raised his hand and moved Hunk’s hair back from his forehead.

He smoothed the stands through his fingers until Hunk’s eyes fell closed.

He did it again and again until Hunk fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

Keith woke up with Hunk’s bare arm wrapped securely around him. Hunk’s chest was pressed against his back, and their lower halves were curved together, bent knees tucked behind bent knees. Keith could feel Hunk touching him from his shoulders to his toes.

He sighed, settling even further into the embrace, enjoying the complete and utter lack of tension in his body. He put his hand on top of Hunk’s where it was resting on his chest, and Hunk shifted a little in response, pressing against Keith from behind before going still again.

Keith felt some tension return to his body. He didn’t mind one bit. He moved his thumb slowly over the back of Hunk’s hand.

_“Mh.”_

Hunk pressed against him again. Keith pressed back to meet him.

 _“Mh… hey, babe…”_ Hunk kissed the side of his neck. _“God, you feel good.”_

Keith smiled to himself.

_Just wait._

He took stock of the way his ass was pressed flush against Hunk’s lap, perfectly seated against his crotch and upper thighs. He thought Hunk might be a little hard already, stiff from sleep. He was, too.

He reached back, held onto Hunk’s thigh, and _pressed_ his ass back against Hunk’s lap.

_“Oh-”_

Yup. Hunk was definitely hard. Hunk’s hand was definitely grasping at his hip, Hunk’s mouth was definitely on his neck, and Hunk’s cock was definitely pressing into the cleft of his ass. Hunk rolled his hips-

_“Mh-”_

_“Ah-”_

…and Keith let out a breathy moan, arching his back within the confined space to maximize the sensation.

_“Hunk?”_

_“Uh huh?”_

_“I know we need to wait, still, but could we just… fake it? Like before?”_

Hunk rocked against him again, a little more forcefully this time. They exhaled in unison, Hunk’s hand holding firm to Keith’s hip.

_“Like that-?”_

_“More-”_

Hunk pressed his knee up between Keith’s thighs, and they started grinding in earnest, making small, muffled sounds, breathing life into the stillness of the morning. Keith kept his eyes closed, trying to picture what this would be like if their clothes were off, moving his hand toward the hard mound of his cock, still contained inside his boxers and sleep pants. Hunk beat him to it, though; he palmed him firmly through two layers of fabric and then _squeezed_ , and Keith let out a tight-lipped whimper, pressing his hand over Hunk’s to increase the pressure-

_“Fuck-”_

_“Mh-”_

_“So sexy, Keith-”_

He rolled over in the confined space, just barely registering the brown of Hunk’s eyes before he kissed his mouth, sliding his hand between them to feel for the waistband of Hunk’s pants, determined not to get too caught up in the way Hunk was making him feel. He had a mission, and he needed to focus. Hunk had made him dinner, and made him laugh, and kissed him just right, and held him all night long. Hunk was sweet, and strong, and perfect.

Hunk deserved to be touched.

Keith tugged down on the waistband of Hunk’s pants and wrapped his fingers around his cock. He licked at Hunk’s tongue as he started to stroke, reminding himself to go slow, to concentrate on the way Hunk was responding-

_“Oohh holy shit- oh my God, that feels so good-”_

Keith grinned. Hunk wasn’t shy about showing his enthusiasm, and it always bolstered his confidence, motivating him to keep on moving forward in spite of his inexperience.

 _“Hunk?”_ he murmured, letting his palm glide smoothly over the tip of Hunk’s cock, watching Hunk’s eyelids flutter.

_“Uh- uh huh?”_

_“I’m lucky. To be with you.”_

_“Ah- God, Keith, I- I-”_

Keith kissed his lips. The conversation could wait. He let go of Hunk for a moment so he could slide his pants the rest of the way off, and then he moved easily between Hunk’s thighs, settling onto his knees. He put his hands on Hunk’s hips, leaned down, and took the head of Hunk’s cock into his mouth.

If anything, it was even more enjoyable now that he’d had a little practice. Hunk had obviously enjoyed it the first time around, and he knew this time would be even better for both of them. Keith didn’t even feel nervous; he’d prepared himself ahead of time for the salty taste of precum, and he found it easy to focus on the way Hunk’s smooth skin glided against his lips, and the way his head throbbed pleasantly against the inside of his cheek when he started to suck-

_“Keith- ah- baby… feels so good…”_

Keith smiled around Hunk’s thickness.

_‘Baby.’ I can be ‘baby’ for you._

He hummed, sliding his tongue around the underside of Hunk’s rim, enjoying the low rumble that Hunk gifted him in response. Hunk’s hand had found its way to his forehead, holding his hair back from his face.

Hunk was _sweet_ , even now, even while his cock was being thoroughly sucked.

It was so endearing, Keith tried to pull him deep, suppressing the urge to gag with marginal success. He coughed a little, but he didn’t stop, and Hunk let out a sustained moan, tightening his fingers in his hair. _Right. The pressure._ Coughing had tightened his throat around Hunk’s length. It occurred to Keith for the first time that he was, in essence, _fucking Hunk with his mouth_ , and the notion had him throbbing inside the confines of his pants. He pulled Hunk deep again and pressed his own palm to the hard mound of his erection, shifting his hips while he gave another small cough, squeezing and sucking while Hunk pulsed against the flat of his tongue-

_“F-fuck- mh- Keith- are you okay-?”_

Keith nodded, gave him a thumbs up. Hunk giggled, breathlessly, and Keith repeated the maneuver, squeezing himself through his sleep pants while he stretched his mouth around Hunk’s thickness-

_“Ah- okay- okay- FUCK- my turn-”_

Keith looked up at him. He pulled back a little, licking a lazy circle around Hunk’s head before he let him go. Hunk exhaled, nodding.

“Jesus. Get up here, baby.”

Keith raised an eyebrow, unsure of what Hunk meant. Hunk bent his arms up and tapped the mattress, just over his own shoulders.

“Take your pants off and put your knees right here.”

_Oh._

_Holy shit._

Keith complied enthusiastically with Hunk’s request. He kicked his pants off and then moved up Hunk’s body while Hunk propped his head up with a second pillow. Keith planted his knees near Hunk’s shoulders and hovered over him, holding onto the wooden frame of the bunk.

He was still wearing Hunk’s shirt, which hung loosely over his torso, the sleeves extending well past his knuckles, the hem hitting at mid-thigh. Hunk gazed up at him and pushed the shirt up around his hips, bringing his swollen, leaking cock into view, kissing the tip of it with parted lips.

“You look _unbelievable_ right now,” he murmured, sliding the smooth fabric of the shirt over Keith’s hips. “Can you hold up the hem for me?”

Keith considered this. He knew what Hunk was about to do, and he knew he’d probably want to keep his hands free while it was happening, so he lifted the hem to his mouth and held it between his teeth.

 _“Jesus,”_ Hunk breathed, tracing the lines of Keith’s stomach with his fingertips. “So perfect, baby. Come here.”

He gripped Keith’s hip with one hand, held his cock with the other, and guided it slowly into his mouth. Keith shuddered as soon as he made contact with the flat of Hunk’s tongue, gripping the bedframe with one hand, touching Hunk’s hair with the other-

 _“Mh-_ ” he whimpered, as Hunk pulled his head toward the smooth, slick pillow of his inner cheek. He looked down and found Hunk blinking up at him through thick eyelashes, cheeks flushed, lips pink and shiny where they were stretched around his shaft. Hunk held both his hips and moved him backward, sliding off of him with a muted _pop_.

“I want to try something,” he said, smiling, sounding eager. Keith nodded, but he didn’t say anything. He was still holding the hem of his shirt between his teeth.

Hunk pulled his cock into his mouth again, then gripped firmly at his hips and guided them further forward, swallowing Keith toward the back of his throat- 

_“Hh- nh-_ ”

Keith let out a handful of muffled moans as he bottomed out, as the head of his cock made contact with the squeezing heat of Hunk’s throat. He looked down to see Hunk’s brow furrowed in concentration, his eyes closed, his nose pressed into the patch of dark hair above the base of his cock.

_Holy shit._

Hunk gripped his hips and started moving them, thrusting Keith’s length in and out of his throat.

_Holy SHIT._

Keith gripped the bedframe, bowed his head, and _whimpered._

Hunk forced his hips backward, sliding off with a muffled cough. He took a gulp of air and then looked up at Keith.

“No gag reflex!” He was beaming, though his eyes looked red and teary. Keith held the hem of his shirt with his hand for a moment so he could answer.

“Can you _breathe?_ ” he blurted, panting.

“Uh. Not really, but I’m into it, so… if you can get into it, too, I think that’d be, like, the hottest thing ever, for me.”

“Um. Fuck yes, I can get into it.”

Hunk grinned. “Excellent. Uh. You should, like, fuck my mouth a little bit. Okay? If you want to.”

_HOLY SHIT._

Keith didn’t bother responding, since Hunk was already swallowing him deep again. He held the hem of his shirt between his teeth again, freeing up his hands to grasp the bedframe and grip at Hunk’s hair… which he did, tightly, as soon he bottomed out inside Hunk’s throat for the second time. He was glad he had a mouthful of fabric; otherwise he might’ve been embarrassed by the unrestrained growl that tore from his throat. He looked down to check on Hunk again, and Hunk nodded up at him, sliding his shaft along the flat of his tongue in the process.

Keith rocked his hips, fighting off a full-body shudder. The sensation was so intense that he was actually getting lightheaded, having trouble keeping a thought in his head. This happened when he was fighting, too; overstimulation often hit without warning, and he’d learned that he could channel it into the conflict, that he could bear it as long as he stayed in motion-

He thrusted into Hunk’s throat. He moved his hips at a rolling pace, thanking the universe for every centimeter of slick warmth he was currently getting acquainted with, letting the smooth strands of Hunk’s hair glide between his fingertips while his cock glided over Hunk’s tongue. He kept it up until Hunk tapped his hip, and then he pulled back until his head was pillowed in the center of Hunk’s tongue. Hunk took another gulping breath and the rush of air moved over Keith’s sensitive skin, making him shiver.

Hunk pulled off and looked up at him, wiping at the corners of his eyes.

“That’s _so_ fucking hot, baby. Keep it up, okay?”

Keith didn’t even try to respond; he just let the slick heat consume him as Hunk’s mouth squeezed around him again, paralyzing him for a moment before the urge to thrust returned…

He held onto the bedframe, held a handful of Hunk’s hair, and fucked into his throat. He kept his pace cautious until he realized that Hunk had reached under his thigh to jerk himself off-

 _“Fuck- Hunk,”_ he groaned, though it came out more like _hn- hngh,_ since he was still holding the hem of his shirt between his teeth. He tried moving his hips with a little more force, and Hunk made a strangled, guttural sound, _squeezing_ his throat around Keith’s throbbing length. _Fuck_ , Keith was close, his shoulders and hips already starting to tense, the coiling pressure below his belly wound tight like a spring… and Hunk was nodding, grasping at his hip, urging him on… Hunk was groaning from somewhere deep, his shoulders shaking as his orgasm hit…

Keith spilled down the back of his throat.

He watched Hunk’s face while it happened, biting down on the fabric of his shirt, tangling his fingers tight in Hunk’s hair, letting Hunk take control of his stuttering hips.

Hunk took a breath, smiling up at him, mouthing at his head and shaft while they both shuddered through the aftershocks. Hunk laughed a low rumble against Keith’s sensitive skin, moving his hands up and down Keith’s sides, over his thighs, around to his ass.

Keith let the shirt fall out of his mouth and slid down onto the mattress, stretching out on his side along the length of Hunk’s body. He watched Hunk’s eyes for a moment, catching his breath, and then he slid the pad of his index finger through the mess of cum that was splattered over Hunk’s stomach. He took it into his mouth.

“Holy _shit_ ,” Hunk said, still breathless and panting. “Are you trying to _kill_ me?”

Keith forced himself to make note of the taste. _Salty. Bitter. Not a big deal. You can do this._

“I’ll learn how to swallow for you,” he promised. “Just give me time.”

Hunk put a hand around the back of his neck and kissed his forehead.

“You’ll try to do it anyway, even if I tell you not to, right?”

Keith smiled. He swiped his finger through the sticky mess and licked it, again.

“I think I’d do anything you make you feel what I just felt.”

Hunk’s mouth fell open.

 _“Oh,”_ he breathed. “Keith, I-”

_“HUNK!”_

Someone was knocking on the door to Hunk’s quarters.

_“TIME TO GET UP! WE BROUGHT BREAKFAST!”_

“Oh,” Hunk said, looking flustered. “Okay. Fantastic.” He swallowed. “That… is my mother.”


	6. As Soon As I Knew You At All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I'm slowly recovering from Season 8 and working consistently on this fic as well as Something Worth Fighting For. Updates might take a little longer as I continue to get back into the right mindset. Please let me know if you like this chapter!
> 
> Love,  
> Kay

_“JUST A SECOND!”_ Hunk yelled toward the door as he hurried into the bathroom, naked and sticky and blushing from his cheeks to his collarbone. Keith followed him into the small space, making a grab for a nearby towel, running it quickly under the faucet and then dabbing at Hunk’s stomach while thoughts flickered through his mind too fast for him to process.

“Fuck,” he blurted, trying to clean Hunk’s skin as quickly as he could. “I’m sorry… we made such a mess…”

He had to stop, because Hunk was holding his face with both hands, tilting his chin upward so they could see each other’s eyes.

“Hey,” Hunk said, scolding. “No. You do _not_ get to apologize for this. This was…” His tone softened. “I waited a long time, for a morning like this.”

Keith nodded, soothed. “Me too.”

Hunk kissed him, unhurried, as if his family weren’t waiting outside in the hallway. Keith felt some of the tension leave his shoulders, though anxiousness lingered tight in his chest, more for Hunk than for himself.

“I didn’t bring a change of clothes,” he said. “They’ll know.”

Hunk shrugged a little. “I want them to know.”

Keith raised an eyebrow. “That we’re sleeping together?”

“That we’re _together_ , together.” Hunk smiled. “They’re cool about stuff like this. They’ll be happy for us.”

“Are you sure? I could call Kosmo…”

Hunk’s face fell. “Oh. Right. I didn’t think of that-”

“No.” Keith shook his head. “Never mind. I’ll stay with you. I… I just…”

Keith took a breath. _Tell the truth._

“I want them to like me.”

Hunk stroked the corner of Keith’s mouth with the pad of his thumb. “They’re going to _love_ you.”

Keith replayed that sentence over and over in his mind while he got dressed, pulling his boxers and pajama bottoms back on, along with another of Hunk’s long-sleeved shirts. It was absurdly large on him, so it would be immediately obvious to any outside observer that it wasn’t his own, but Hunk seemed unfazed, so Keith tried to push the worry from his mind. He straightened the bedsheets while Hunk finished dressing and stuffed his discarded clothes into his wardrobe, and then he let Hunk fix his hair and leave a hurried kiss on his cheek before he headed for the door.

“Ready?” Hunk asked, hand hovering above the door control.

_Nope._

“Yeah.”

He tapped the panel.

“Hunk?” His mother burst into the room, looking concerned. His father followed close behind. “Is everything-?”

Her gaze settled on Keith; he crossed his arms over his chest reflexively. He forgot to smile, though the grin that spread across her face was wide enough for the both of them.

“Keith!” She swatted at Hunk’s arm. “I’m sorry! We didn’t know Hunk had company!”

“You could’ve left me a message, Mom,” Hunk prodded, pulling her into a hug.

“We wanted to surprise you,” she explained, still looking at Keith- taking in his rather disheveled appearance, he guessed. “Banana pancakes… we have everything set up down the hall… will you join us, Keith?”

“Uh-”

“Yeah,” Hunk said brightly. “He will.” He let his mother go and moved to Keith’s side. He put a hand cautiously on his back, catching his eye. “We should celebrate, right?”

Keith nodded at him, relieved to let Hunk take the lead in such unfamiliar territory. “Right. We should.”

“Really?” Hunk’s mother seemed excited. “What are we celebrating?”

“Us,” Hunk said, tilting his head toward Keith. “Me and Keith. We just… started dating.”

Keith felt a surge of affection inside his chest, comforted by the honesty and directness he was growing to appreciate so much from Hunk.

Hunk’s parents stared between them for a moment before they both started to smile. His mother clamped both hands over her mouth in excitement before she pounced on Hunk, pulling hm into another bone-crushing hug.

“Hunk! My sweet baby! All grown up… saving the world… dating the _Leader of Voltron_ …”

Hunk rolled his eyes in embarrassment, but he was smiling at Keith over her shoulder.

“That title is silly,” Keith told her. “Any of us could’ve led Voltron, including Hunk.”

She let go of Hunk and turned to face Keith. She didn’t hug him like she had the day before, though. She just opened her arms in obvious invitation, waiting patiently in a way that made Keith wonder whether Hunk had mentioned it to her. Keith held his breath and stepped into her arms, enjoying the obvious show of affection and acceptance so much more since she’d given him a choice and a moment to prepare.

“So modest,” she said, squeezing him briefly before letting him go. “What a lovely thing to say. I’m so happy for you both.”

“Haven’t you been a little busy saving the known universe?” Hunk’s father was asking as he shook Hunk’s hand. His tone was teasing. “When have you had time to _date_?”

“Uh. Since yesterday?” Hunk offered.

His father let out a genuine, rumbling laugh that sounded so much like Hunk’s, Keith felt his anxiousness dissipate entirely. These were Hunk’s people. They had raised the person he trusted more than anyone else he’d ever known. It was a stunning notion, that he might be able to trust them, too.

He accepted Hunk’s father’s outstretched hand and shook it.

 

* * *

 

Hunk’s parents tactfully excused themselves shortly afterward, giving Keith time to head back to his own quarters to change his clothes before breakfast. Hunk opted to stay with him, scooping him into a tight embrace as soon as the door slid shut, dipping him dramatically toward the floor while they kissed each other. Keith let himself be held, enjoying the strength of Hunk’s arms and the gentle pressure of Hunk’s huge hand supporting the back of his head.

“You’re amazing,” Hunk mumbled between kisses. “That was perfect. Thank you.”

Keith just kissed him fiercely, both arms secure around his neck. He didn’t think Hunk had any reason to be thanking him right now, but he also didn’t think he’d able to articulate all the things he was feeling, and it was becoming ever clearer to him that physical affection was quite an effective method of communication where Hunk was concerned. Hunk was warm, and strong, and responsive to every move he made. Hunk felt _good_ , and Keith felt good when they were together, and what a relief it was to be able to _feel_ instead of _speak_ , sometimes. Keith licked easily into Hunk’s mouth, earning himself a low moan that told him Hunk was getting the message, loud and clear.

Hunk was almost as enthusiastic about helping him dress as he was about helping him _undress_ , Keith thought – a thinly veiled excuse to touch and stay close, which suited Keith just fine. He let Hunk’s fingertips linger at the waistband of his boxers, adjusting the way it was hugging against his skin. He let Hunk pull his shirt carefully over his head and button his jeans.

He let Hunk rest his hand between his shoulder blades as they walked down the hall to the kitchen.

He rested his hand on Hunk’s back, too.

 

* * *

 

Hunk’s mother refused to let anyone help her with breakfast, although she agreed to let Hunk and Keith hunt for ingredients for smoothies while Hunk’s father updated them on the civilian relief efforts. A committee had been established to relocate survivors to houses nearby, and Hunk’s family had been told they could expect to be moved from the Garrison barracks to a residence as early as next week. Keith felt happy for them, though he felt a small pang of discomfort, too. Hunk would likely opt to stay with them whenever he could instead of keeping his room in the barracks. They might see each other a little less, but, of course, Keith would never hold it against him. Hunk had been waiting to get back to his family for so long, and Keith had never seen him happier. That was the most important thing.

“So! Keith!” Hunk’s mother prompted once they had finally gathered around the table, glasses filled and plates stacked with pancakes. “Hunk told us you were at the top of your class as a cadet!”

Keith chewed and swallowed slowly, processing, while Hunk shot him an apologetic look from the seat next to him. It was true, and he supposed it must have been common knowledge at some point, though it hadn’t seemed to matter much once he’d been brought before a disciplinary committee and, ultimately, expelled from the Garrison altogether.

“I was,” he told her. “Once upon a time.”

“Genius level intelligence, too?” she added, smiling. “Just like Hunk?”

“Mom,” Hunk prodded. She raised her eyebrows.

“What? He should be proud! You both should.”

Keith stared between them. This was true, too, though this particular piece of information _wasn’t_ common knowledge. How had Hunk found out?

“Uh. Those aptitude tests…” He shook his head. “There are a lot of different ways to be intelligent.”

“But only one way to be the most brilliant pilot of your generation.” She tilted her head to one side. “I think you might be too modest for your own good, Keith.”

The urge to contradict her was strong. He wanted her high opinion, but he also wanted to feel like he’d earned it.

“Hunk is, too,” Keith said, redirecting. “Modest, I mean. I had no idea how smart he was until I saw him in action in deep space. I can’t even count the number of missions that would’ve failed without him. I can’t wrap my mind around half the things he can do with tech. It’s…” He faltered, suddenly aware of the three sets of eyes on him, and the fact that he’d been rambling. “It’s impressive,” he finished, heat rising in his cheeks. He felt Hunk’s hand press down briefly on his thigh, under the table.

“Did you know,” Hunk’s mother was saying, wearing a wide smile, “that you compliment my son at every opportunity?”

He blinked at her. Was that true? He hadn’t been keeping track.

“I… he… he deserves it.”

She laughed. “See?”

_Oh._

“It’s a mark of a strong partnership,” she added. “He did the same thing, while we were waiting for you to wake up in the hospital.”

Keith took a sip of his drink, hoping to cool the burn in his face. Hunk’s father rested a hand on his wife’s shoulder.

“Sweetheart,” he said, adoringly, “I think we should let the boy eat.”

 

* * *

 

“Holy shit,” Hunk blurted as soon as they were alone, walking side by side back to their quarters. “Oh my God, I’m sorry, I honestly forgot how intense she can be… and I didn’t really realize how much I was, like, bragging about you? Like, in the hospital, before you woke up, and everything, and-”

“Hunk.” Keith took hold of his arm, pulling him to a stop. “They’re great. I’m fine. Everything’s okay.”

Hunk still looked apologetic. “Really?”

“Really. I… I like that you told them things about me. I mean, it was _so_ embarrassing, but… in a good way. It was nice. I had a great time.”

Hunk hugged him close. “Jesus, you’re the best. God, you’re so sweet.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

Keith closed his eyes, settling more heavily into Hunk’s arms.

“Hey… Hunk? How’d you know about my aptitude scores?”

“Shit. Right. I should’ve told you about that.” Hunk made a small space between them so they could see each other’s eyes. “I was the one who helped the medical officers update your personnel file with all your records from the castle, and everything. No one here knew you were half Galra, before, and they weren’t super concerned about confidentiality when they were trying to… y’know…” He swallowed. “…Keep you alive. The information was just _there_ , while we were going over everything. I always thought you were so brilliant, but I didn’t know how to ask, and then I just _saw_ it…” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. My parents were asking about you, and I was so worried about you… I guess I shouldn’t have told them-”

“It’s okay,” Keith interrupted. “I don’t mind. I was just wondering how you knew.” He moved his hand onto the back of Hunk’s neck. “You were working with the medical officers when I was hurt? While you had a concussion?”

“Uh.” Hunk nodded. “Yeah. They said they’d never treated you for any serious injuries when you were a cadet…” He tightened his hands around Keith’s waist. “I just needed to make sure you’d be all right.”

Keith kissed him, overwhelmed with fondness, and with the need to reassure him. He knew Hunk had been concerned for him when he’d been injured, but he’d had no idea Hunk had been working directly with the team that had saved his life. Keith could imagine exactly how it had been: Hunk, scared out of his mind, rising to the occasion like he always did… figuring out how to be exactly what Keith needed, like he always did…

“Hunk…” Keith had barely pulled away. Their lips were still practically touching. “I-”

“WHOA.”

Keith and Hunk both jumped, shocked back to reality by Pidge and Lance, who had just rounded the corner and found them tangled up together. Keith felt mildly embarrassed when Pidge’s stunned expression registered, though it was only because he and Hunk hadn’t bothered to get back to their quarters before they started making out. They angled their bodies toward Pidge and Lance, though they each kept one arm around each other. It didn’t occur to Keith to pull away.

“Hey,” Lance said, smiling as he and Pidge approached, side-by-side. “Sucking face in the hallway, huh? Guess you worked things out.”

Pidge’s mouth fell open. She gestured wildly between the three of them, scowling at Lance. “You knew about this?!”

Lance shrugged. “Wasn’t my secret to tell.”

Pidge looked at Hunk. “Secret? Why are you making out in the hall if it’s supposed to be a secret?”

“It’s not,” Hunk told her. “We just hadn’t gotten around to telling everyone yet. We’ve been… busy.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Doing what? Aren’t we all supposed to be on leave?”

Keith felt himself start to blush as he and Hunk exchanged a glance.

“Oh, God, _gross_ ,” she said, cringing. “So you’re… what? Blowing off steam?”

“No,” Keith said. “We’re dating.”

“Seriously?” She looked skeptical. “Why?”

Hunk giggled. “We like each other. Obviously.”

She made a face. “Really?”

“Wow!” Lance said, elbowing her in the shoulder. “Okay! This is fun! But, uh, I was gonna go train, and stuff, so… you guys want to come?”

Keith felt a surge of appreciation for Lance on multiple counts. He looked at Hunk.

“I could use some exercise. What do you think?”

“Hmm. I could use some time to work on that project I told you about. Think I could catch up with you later?”

“Sure. Let me know when you’re free.”

Hunk smiled at him, moving his hand to the back of his neck to touch him there briefly. Keith enjoyed the show of affection: stolen intimacy between the two of them, subtle enough not to make anyone else uncomfortable. He was pleasantly disappointed when Hunk let him go and turned his attention to Pidge.

“I’m gonna head over to the engineering lab,” Hunk told her. “Need me to check on anything for you?”

She shook her head. “I’m headed there too.”

“Sweet. Walk with me?”

“Sure.”

Keith watched them disappear down the hall, mild regret eclipsed by excitement. Hunk would find him later. There would be surprises, and some kind of date, and probably a lot more kissing and touching and-

“Hey.” Lance was waving a hand in front of his face. Keith made an effort to focus on him.

“What?”

“Stop it,” Lance said, teasing. “That smile looks weird on your face.”

 

* * *

 

Keith changed into his armor and made his way to the training deck to meet Lance. It felt odd to move freely around the Garrison complex again, since he’d been sure he’d never be back here once he’d finally been expelled. And it had seemed inevitable, then, as if he’d never really belonged here in the first place. But he could see the self-sabotage in his own actions, now. His expulsion had been his own doing. He’d convinced himself that Shiro had been the only thing holding him here, and it had been easier to give in to grief and rage than to forge his own path. It felt fitting to return here, now, when the way forward seemed so clear to him for the first time in his life.

Lance was already folded up like a pretzel when Keith swiped himself into the high-ceilinged room, and he knew he was in for a challenge. He excelled at hand-to-hand combat, but Lance had him beat where flexibility was concerned. He’d avoided the issue for a while, not wanting to admit that Lance had a skillset he could benefit from, but those days were long past. They’d both made peace with the fact that they had something to offer each other as friends, though they rarely missed an opportunity to make it seem like a chore.

“Hey!” Lance called, bringing his legs back down to the floor and propping himself up on his elbows. “Ready to stretch? Or is Hunk doing that for you these days?”

_Uh huh. Typical._

“Lance,” he sighed. “I came here to train. Not gossip.”

Lance rolled his eyes. “Dude. Talking about your life isn’t _gossip._ ”

“Then why do you always ask me about it like you’re trying to get me to admit something?”

Lance blinked. He sat fully upright. “Fair enough. I’m sorry. How are things going with Hunk?”

Keith hesitated, caught off guard by Lance’s easy concession. “Uh.” He sat down next to Lance and started stretching, one leg extending away from his body. “I think it’s going really well.”

Lance nodded. “I had a feeling you’d come through. He seems really happy.”

“Yeah? What did he say?”

“Just that you guys had plans, so he wouldn’t be able to hang out last night. Or this morning.” The corner of his mouth quirked up. “Lots of unnecessary exclamation points.”

Keith felt warm at the thought of it. He knew Hunk was excited, but it was nice to know that other people could see it, too. He switched legs and went on stretching.

“So?” Lance prompted, when he didn’t say anything. “All night, huh? Whose room?”

Keith hesitated for a moment before he said, “His.”

“Really?” Lance flipped onto his stomach and arched his back in a dramatic stretch. Keith copied him.

“Is that surprising?”

“Hmm. Kinda. I know you like things to be a certain way.”

Keith took a long, slow breath, willing his muscles to settle into the pose.

“Hunk is good at finding out how I like things.”

Lance laughed out loud, his body relaxing. “Holy shit. Was that a legitimate innuendo?”

Keith let himself smile, just barely.

“So?” Lance persisted. “ _All night?_ How was it?”

“Lance.”

“What? Hunk won’t care if you tell me.”

“You don’t know that.”

Lance rolled his eyes. He sat up and started tapping at his wrist communicator. Keith’s own buzzed and blinked a second later, and he tapped into it to find that Lance had added him to a group chat with Hunk.

 

Lance: Your boyfriend thinks he’s protecting your honor by refusing to tell me anything about your relationship.

 

 _“Lance,”_ Keith groaned, just as a reply came through from Hunk.

 

Hunk: Please don’t torture said boyfriend. I need him in one piece.

Lance: Can you tell him to spill his guts?

Hunk: Babe, you can talk to Lance, IF YOU WANT TO. Lance, don’t be a dick.

 

Lance raised his eyebrows. “You let him call you _babe_?!”

“Dude! This is why I don’t tell you anything!”

He raised his hands, apologetic. “Okay, I’m sorry, I’m just… fascinated. Man. I didn’t think you’d ever be anyone’s _babe._ It’s awesome!”

Keith switched positions, flipping onto his back to stretch his hamstrings.

“Why awesome?”

“Because Hunk loves that stuff. I mean, he’s, like, _sweet_ , you know? I was kinda worried you wouldn’t be into it.”

Keith let both feet touch the floor again.

“Well… I am. With him. And last night was amazing, and… this morning was, too.”

Lance flipped onto his back, too, somewhere close. “Clothes off?”

Keith nodded. “Yeah.”

“You really like him like that?”

“Yeah. I really do.”

Lance sat up and looked at him. Keith met his eye.

“Good,” Lance said. “If anyone deserves to be thoroughly worshipped, it’s Hunk, so… thanks for that.”

Keith nodded. “My pleasure.”

“You love him?”

Keith moved his tongue in a circle around the inside of his cheek.

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Why not?”

“Uhm.” Keith cleared his throat. “Because I haven’t told him, yet.”

Lance extended his hand. Keith accepted it and let himself be pulled upright.

“I appreciate you a whole bunch right now,” Lance said, “but I’m still gonna try to kick your ass. Ready to fight?”

 

* * *

 

Keith checked his messages as soon as he got out of the shower and discovered that Hunk was waiting for him in his quarters. He didn’t bother responding to Hunk’s message; he just dressed in his jeans and a t-shirt as quickly as he could and went across the hall to knock on Hunk’s door.

“Oof,” Hunk said, looking him over when he opened the door. “I don’t think anyone’s ever made a plain black t-shirt look that good.”

He didn’t bother standing to the side to let Keith pass. He looped an arm around his waist and pulled him inside instead, letting the door slide closed behind them. Keith settled into his arms for a hug, enjoying the firm pressure of Hunk’s hands against the tired muscles of his back.

“Mm” he mumbled. “Feels good.”

“Sore?” Hunk asked, kneading the heels of his hands a bit.

“A little.”

“Hmm. Maybe I could help.”

“You absolutely could.”

Hunk pressed a kiss into his hair. “Want some food, first? I made you a noodle bowl.”

Keith lifted his head from Hunk’s shoulder. “You made me lunch?”

“Uh huh. Figured you’d be hungry after training.”

Keith kissed his lips. “You’re the best. I’m _starving._ ”

He ate quickly while Hunk filled him in about spending a couple hours with Pidge in the lab. She was supportive, of course – just confused about what either of them stood to gain from a romantic relationship. Keith couldn’t hold it against her, either. He would’ve wondered the same thing, not too long ago.

Hunk declined Keith’s offer to share his food, explaining that he’d already eaten, but Keith was starting to wonder if there might be more to it. Hunk seemed to grow restless as their conversation went on, blushing faintly and fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve. Keith couldn’t tell if it was nerves, or excitement, or both, but regardless, he wanted to put Hunk at ease. He held out his hand; Hunk picked it up and kissed the back of it.

“Everything okay?” Keith asked.

“Yes. Um. I… did a thing. And I want to tell you about it, but… I’m not exactly sure how you’re going to take it.”

Keith shrugged a little. “I’m not worried. I trust you.”

Hunk nodded. “And you know I would never, like… put pressure on you, right?”

“Yeah. I know that.”

“Okay. So… this isn’t that. It’s just, like, an option. Okay?”

“Hunk.” Keith squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry. Everything’s great.”

Hunk took a slow breath. He stood up, walked to the corner of the room, and pulled a small, metal case out of his wardrobe. He brought it back to the table, unsnapped the fasteners, and pulled out a pair of gloves: jet-black and vaguely iridescent, soft-looking and made of a material that Keith couldn’t identify on sight. Hunk handed them over, and Keith ran the material through his fingers, enjoying the smoothness of it against his skin.

“Can you try them on so I can check the fit?”

Keith pulled them on slowly, flexing his fingers to test the give of the fabric. They fit like a second skin, as if they’d been made for him… which, of course, they had.

“They feel amazing,” Keith said. “What are they made of?”

“I’ll show you formulation I used. It’s graphene-based. Here…” Hunk took hold of his right hand and pressed the first of two small, silver buttons on the outer wrist. “Okay,” he said. “Try to touch something.”

Keith raised his hand to Hunk’s face and traced along the line of his jaw with his index finger. He paused, then tried again. He moved his hand up to Hunk’s hair and ran his fingers through the sleek strands.

“Whoa…” he said. “It’s like… it’s like the gloves aren’t even there. And there’s practically no drag…”

“Sensitivity’s okay?”

“It’s perfect.”

Hunk nodded. “You can use them like regular gloves, obviously. Like a barrier. Or you can switch this mode on, and the gloves will stimulate the nerve endings in your hands manually. You should be able to feel most things the way you normally would… although I dampened the effect for anything that would cause you pain. You wouldn’t feel cut if you tried to slice your finger with a knife, for example. And you could stick your hand in a fire without being burned.”

“So what’s the advantage?” Keith asked, holding one hand in front of his face to examine it from every angle. “Other than protection, I mean.”

Hunk took hold of Keith’s hand and tilted it until it was horizontal, with his palm facing up. He took the spoon from Keith’s discarded bowl and let a few drops of broth drip onto his hand. Then he pressed the second button on Keith’s wrist, let go of his hand entirely, and stared at it for a few seconds before a forcefield appeared around Keith’s entire hand, contoured close to the material in the shape of the glove itself. There was a brief, electrical _buzz_ , and then the forcefield disappeared, along with the drops of broth.

“Self-cleaning,” Hunk explained. “If you stuck your hands in mud and then pressed the buttons, the gloves would be completely clean afterward. It doesn’t work on living tissue, though. It can’t hurt you.”

Keith’s eyes went wide as he suddenly realized what these gloves were meant for. “Oh… so I could use these to…”

Hunk raised a hand to the back of his neck, blushing, looking down at the table. “Yeah, you could use them to… uhm.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, I’m, like, _so nervous_ right now. Uh. You could use them in bed, if you wanted to try, like, touching yourself? They can be like normal gloves, or you can turn the sensitivity mode on, so you won’t lose any tactile stimulation, and they’ll stay _clean_ for you, so-”

“Hunk?”

Hunk met his eye. “Uh huh?”

Keith gave his head a small shake, completely overwhelmed. “I love them.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Keith reached over and ran his fingertips lightly over Hunk’s forearm. “I could use them to touch you, too, right?”

“Um.” Hunk nodded. “Yeah. If you wanted to.”

“But… what if I want you to touch me?”

Hunk’s face turned to an even darker shade of red. He opened the case again and pulled out a second pair of gloves.

“I made myself a pair, too. Just in case you ever-”

“I do,” Keith interrupted. “Right now.”

Hunk’s eyes went wide. “Really? Right now?”

Keith stood up from his seat. He moved close to Hunk, swung one leg over his lap, and straddled him in his chair, sliding both arms around his shoulders.

“Hunk,” he said, searching the warm brown of Hunk’s eyes. “Tell me why you did this for me.”

Hunk put both hands around his hips, holding him steady.

“Because I don’t want you to have to just… _tolerate_ sex, if there’s a chance you could genuinely enjoy it. And because I… I care about you so much, and I think you’re amazing, and I just… want to be close to you. I honestly can’t begin to explain the things I would do for you, Keith.”

Keith nodded slowly. “And I can’t begin to explain how that makes me feel. But I’m going to try, okay?”

One of Hunk’s hands slid around to his lower back. “Okay.”

Keith pressed his lips to Hunk’s forehead for a long moment, thinking.

“I think you might’ve been my first real friend,” he eventually said, watching Hunk’s eyes. “I always got the feeling that you legitimately liked me. And that was… confusing, because I didn’t used to think of myself as a very likeable person. But now…” He shook his head a little. “Everything’s different now, because of you. And you’re so brilliant, and you’re so sweet that it honestly hurts, sometimes, when I think about it, and when I’m with you, I _feel_ …” He brought his hand to his own chest and pressed it over his heart, as if the gesture would help him say what he was determined to say. “I feel like I’m… better. Than I used to be. And _you…_ you _feel_ right to me, and I don’t ever want to forget what that’s like, and I just…” He swallowed. He moved his hand to Hunk’s cheek. “I know I have no idea what I’m talking about, but I don’t care, anymore. I _know_ I would never do any of this with anyone else. I know I could never trust anyone else, like I trust you, and that’s because… I love you. Okay? I love you, Hunk.”

Hunk’s eyebrows drew together, and he let out a tiny breath, as if he couldn’t hold everything he was feeling inside himself. He stood up from his chair, lifting Keith easily along with him. He pulled Keith close and held his body against himself, like he _had_ to, like he’d been _desperate_ to.

“I love you, too,” he said. “I knew, even before. I knew as soon as I knew you at all. I was going to wait, in case you needed time, but…” He shrugged a little. “You’re incredible, and you belong with me, and I love you.”

“Wow,” Keith breathed. “Okay. So… can we get in bed, now?”

Hunk was laughing when their lips met.

 

 


	7. Need To Feel You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW I'm so happy to be posting a new chapter here. This past month has been incredibly challenging for me personally and I'm guessing updates will continue to be slow for a while. For anyone who's waiting on an update for Something Worth Fighting For, I'm still working on it often, it's just... slow. For anyone who was hoping for some plot in this chapter, prepare to be disappointed, it's straight-up lovin'. I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know if you do!

“This really feels okay?”

“Yes.”

“You’d tell me if it didn’t?”

_“Yes.”_

“Because we can go really, really slow.”

“Hunk.”

“Like, I can do this all day if you need me to-”

 _“Hunk.”_ It came out like laughter. Keith tightened his fingers in Hunk’s hair, where he’d been touching lightly a moment before. He shifted his hips, pressing himself down against Hunk’s fingers, which were massaging slowly around the rim of his opening. “Can’t you tell how good it feels?”

Hunk shook his head, brow set in concentration. “Not when I’m this nervous.”

Keith took this in, updating his outlook on the situation. They were both naked, tucked under the covers in Hunk’s bunk, sharing a pillow, their noses practically touching. Keith was flat on his back with Hunk pressed along his right side, and Hunk was working at him with a gloved hand, varying the speed and pressure of his massaging fingers. It felt _incredible_ ; the material of the gloves felt like it had been designed specifically to glide perfectly over his skin with the lube Hunk was using (which, Keith guessed, it probably had). The barrier was psychologically soothing, too, just like Hunk had intended. Now that they were doing this in bed, Keith could tell how preoccupied he could’ve been with cleanliness, and with his own insecurity and inexperience. As it was, the thoughtfulness and practicality of Hunk’s gift had reassured and excited him. He was ready for this. Hunk had made sure of it.

He just needed to return the favor, now. He had gotten used to following Hunk’s lead, responding to the tone of sincere affection or lighthearted sensuality Hunk usually set. But Hunk couldn’t do that right now, nor was it fair for Keith to expect him to constantly keep it up as they ventured further into uncharted territory. He could set the tone, too. He just had to play to his strengths. He wasn’t exactly sure how to _act_ sexy – he didn’t really want to _act_ , at all – but he did know how to be honest. He just had to let go of his filter and hope that Hunk would enjoy hearing what was on his mind.

“It’s okay to be nervous,” he said, letting his hand slide down to the back of Hunk’s neck in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. “I’m not, though. Know why?”

Hunk gave his head a tiny shake. “Why?”

“Because I trust you. You always take care of me. You do everything just right.” Hunk smiled a little at that, so Keith forged ahead. “I love the gloves. I love that you made them. I love how they feel.”

Hunk shifted a little closer to him. “I love how _you_ feel.”

Keith nodded. “It feels good when you… when you put your finger just inside, and…” He used one fingertip to press a slow, gentle pulse to the back of Hunk’s neck. Hunk responded in kind, slipping the pad of his index finger just past Keith’s outer rim and massaging slow, tiny circles. He met with little resistance – they’d been at this for a while – and Keith met him with shifting hips, a small exhale, and a light kiss at the corner of his mouth.

“It’s just right,” Keith said. “Just like that. Or… more?”

Hunk licked his lips, slid his finger a little further inside. Keith drew in a breath, gripping at Hunk’s hair again as he registered the sensation of burning fullness that was both alarming and pleasurable at the same time.

They’d talked about this, of course. Keith had done some of his own research, too. He knew what human men could expect to experience in this situation, and he’d done his best to prepare himself for it. He’d also done his best to remind himself that he was not, in fact, fully human, and couldn’t possibly anticipate all the ways his body might respond to being penetrated.

“Still okay?” Hunk had stilled his hand.

“Yeah. It’s… um… slow, okay?”

Hunk kissed him in response; firm, perfect pressure on his lower lip, his breath slow and even against Keith’s face. “Of course, babe,” he murmured, barely pulling away to speak. “I meant what I said. I can do this all day.”

Keith smiled at that, relieved that he’d helped Hunk set some of his nervousness aside. “I think I’d like that.”

“I’m gonna find out everything you like,” Hunk said. “And you can always tell me. I love it when you do that.”

Keith nodded. The discomfort had dulled a bit, so he tried shifting his hips, squeezing his muscles around Hunk’s finger. He felt another throb of pleasure-pain, like the right kind of pressure on a sore muscle after a satisfying spar. Hunk pulsed his finger again, just like Keith had shown him, and the throbbing built like a chain of contradictory sensation. Keith winced at the discomfort, even as he felt his cock swelling against his belly. Hunk slowed to a crawl and then stopped.

“Babe… um…” Hunk cleared his throat a little. “When I was learning how to do this, I would… jerk myself off? At the same time? Slowly, though. Uh. I wish I had an extra hand.”

Hunk’s other arm was trapped underneath him, helping him stay propped up while he focused on Keith, and Keith had no desire to change up their configuration, so he took a moment to brush Hunk’s hair back from his forehead, and then slipped his hand under the blanket. He was grateful for the layer of privacy just now, while they were still getting their bearings. He wasn’t exactly _embarrassed_ to touch himself in front of Hunk, but focusing solely on sensation made him feel calm and grounded. He also loved being in bed with Hunk, even when they weren’t fooling around. He felt warm and safe like this, and more confident than he had any right to feel.

He took his cock in hand and stroked up from the base, letting his foreskin glide smoothly over his head.

He felt a pulse of pleasure where the pad of Hunk’s finger was pressing against his inner wall; he arched his spine involuntarily, rolling himself up against Hunk’s hand.

Hunk’s eyes went wide. “Do that again.”

Keith did. He smoothed a drip of precum with his thumb as he let his fingers glide down his shaft, then stroked back up from the base-

 _“Hhah-_ ” he let slip, arching up from the bed again as he felt another pleasurable throb, this one eclipsing the burning sensation altogether.

“Uh,” Hunk breathed, brown eyes even wider than before. “I _felt_ that.”

Keith took a breath, still recovering from the sweep of unexpected sensation. “Really?”

“Yeah. There’s something-”

Keith gasped again as Hunk’s finger dragged along a tender spot of pure sensitivity.

“Whoa,” Hunk said, excitement playing at the corners of his voice. “You okay?”

 _“Ahh-_ uh- yeah...” Keith blinked a couple of times, trying to clear the haze of stimulation that was clouding his focus. “That feels… _really_ good. Intense.”

Hunk nodded. “Something’s swelling, right where the tip of my finger is. I can feel it, like, pulsing? When you touch yourself, I mean.”

“Oh.” Keith frowned a little. He hadn’t come across anything like that in his research about anal play. “That doesn’t happen to you, does it?”

“Keith...” Hunk’s expression was soft. “Your body is, like, my favorite corporeal entity in the entire universe. I don’t give a shit if it’s like mine or anyone else’s. I’m guessing it’s probably as unique as you are, and I’m so ready for it.” He stroked Keith’s inner thigh with the pad of his thumb, brown eyes so warm and so close. “You still with me?”

Keith breathed in through his nose, counting to six, letting the haze of sensation gather around himself again. He kissed Hunk’s mouth instead of exhaling, took hold of Hunk’s wrist, and _rolled_ his hips, grinding himself against Hunk’s hand, letting Hunk’s finger slide along his inner wall-

 _“Mmh-_ ”

He had to exhale, but he barely broke the kiss, wanting to stay close, loving the way the careful caress of Hunk’s lips balanced out the throbbing, hungry ache between his thighs. He tugged on Hunk’s wrist again, stroking his foreskin lightly over the swell of his head, and Hunk responded in kind, massaging a handful of pulses with his fingertip, leaving Keith breathless. He let his finger slide a little deeper, then stilled his hand again.

“No,” Keith breathed. “Don’t stop.”

Hunk’s brow furrowed. “That didn’t hurt?”

“No, it’s… no.” Keith swallowed, realizing he was on the verge of _begging._ It wasn’t planned; it was instinctive, a visceral response to the way Hunk was manipulating his body. _“Please,”_ he practically whimpered. “It doesn’t hurt. Please don’t stop.”

“Okay, baby,” Hunk soothed. “Okay. Tell me what feels good.” He _rubbed_ , massaging slow circles somewhere deep. Keith leaned into the feeling, nodding, breath catching in his throat.

“Good,” he managed. “Not as good as before.”

Hunk nodded. He slid shallow and then deep again, moving slow, pressing _up_ along the muscle as he went-

_“Ah-!”_

“There?”

 _“Mh-_ uh huh-”

Hunk slid in and out, massaging over the spot at each pass. Keith stroked his cock lightly in favor of the mounting sensation _inside_ , reaching up with his free hand to move his fingers through Hunk’s hair, kissing Hunk’s mouth in fits and starts between exhaled breaths and muffled moans.

 _“H-Hunk-_ ”

_“Tell me, baby.”_

_“More. It’s not enough.”_

Hunk slid his finger shallow, tracing just inside the rim, cautious despite Keith’s reassurances. It made the kindling fire in Keith’s chest roar to life. It made the pressure below his belly coil and thrum. It made him want to pin Hunk against the mattress and-

_“Ah-”_

Pressure, more than before, closer to what he was craving, but still miles away from satisfying.

 _“That’s two,”_ Hunk murmured, watching Keith’s eyes, sliding deep until Keith tensed and arched again. Hunk _pressed,_ massaging his fingers right into the spot, working the muscle while Keith’s vision blurred at the edges. He was grasping at Hunk’s hair now, digging his heels into the mattress, dragging his tongue along the jagged edges of his own teeth… and then he was _hot_ , suddenly – _too_ hot, too distracted from the bursts of sensitivity Hunk was _kneading_ into him-

He threw the blankets down, kicking at them with one foot until their bodies were laid bare, until he could see exactly how huge Hunk’s gloved hand looked between his thighs, Hunk’s thumb partially curled around the base of his cock while he _pulsed_ and _stroked-_

“Babe-?”

“Too hot- _”_

Hunk moved carefully onto his knees without disrupting the rhythm of his fingers whatsoever. The loss of extra body heat was welcome; Keith took a gulp of air and nodded, bucking his hips up against Hunk’s hand, shuddering at the burst of sensation that followed-

“Stay close,” he choked out, breathless. Hunk braced his free hand near his shoulder and leaned down, kissing lightly at the corner of his mouth.

“Like this?”

Keith nodded. “More.” It came out gritty, but firm. A directive. Hunk’s eyebrow went up; he must’ve recognized the tone. He didn’t shy away from questioning orders when he felt that it was necessary, but evidently, and much to Keith’s relief, he was feeling compliant, just now. Keith felt an almost maddening loss of pressure (he _whined_ ; Hunk mumbled sweet reassurances)… and then the empty space was being filled, again. Keith grabbed at the back of Hunk’s neck, nodding emphatically as Hunk’s fingers slid inside him, a new sort of tension coiling somewhere deep.

“That’s three,” Hunk said. He looked a little stunned, and Keith could guess why. _Three_ was the magic number. _Three_ had been their goal, because if Keith could take three of Hunk’s thick fingers, he could probably-

 _“Hah-!”_ Keith gasped, hips rolling upward as Hunk’s fingertips _pressed_ against that particular spot. Hunk didn’t stop there, though. He kept moving deeper, fingertips prodding, brow set in concentration as Keith squirmed below him, waves of tension moving through his body at every new sensation-

“It’s bigger.” The register of Hunk’s voice was starting to change. It was rough and hungry in a way that made Keith’s toes curl, made him tighten his grip at the base of his cock. “I can feel it… it goes deeper-”

“Hunk,” Keith blurted. He dug his thumb into the hard muscle of Hunk’s shoulder, near the base of his skull. He nodded. “Deeper. _Please._ ”

Hunk pressed further in, dragging along the raised edge of sensitivity while Keith’s hips stuttered and tensed, alternating between grinding down against the bed and rolling up against Hunk’s hand.

Keith was starting to feel caged, flat on his back like this. He needed to _move_. Hunk had dragged him to this place of blissful tension, and he _needed_ it to break. He moved his hand between them and took hold of Hunk’s cock, groaning low in his throat when he found it rock-hard and throbbing. He let go of his own and grabbed onto Hunk’s wrist instead, pulling him deeper until he bottomed out entirely, then tugging sharply, desperate for friction-

 _“Jesus, baby-_ ”

 _“Mh- more- please-_ ”

Hunk nodded, took a breath, pressed his fingers _up_ , and started thrusting, _kneading_ into Keith at the deepest point he could reach-

_“AH-!”_

A switch flipped. The tension crested and then plateaued, and Keith was gasping while his thighs shook and his spine flexed and his voice echoed off the walls… he grabbed Hunk’s wrist again, holding him still.

“Babe?” Hunk’s uneven breath touched his lips. “Did you come? I can feel… it’s still-”

“No,” Keith gasped. He could feel what was happening, too, could detect every centimeter of Hunk’s fingers as his inner walls pulsed and spasmed around them- a sustained, almost-orgasm that had every inch of his body burning from the inside out. But Hunk couldn’t reach any deeper, and he was too cautious to do what Keith needed him to do, and that was _just fine,_ because Keith knew, instinctively, what was supposed to come next.

“On your back,” he choked out, tightening his grip on Hunk’s wrist so he could pull Hunk’s fingers free. The loss of pressure was agonizing, but temporary, he told himself, as he shifted onto his knees and flipped Hunk easily onto the mattress before he’d had time to follow through on his own. Keith straddled him, feeling _free_ again with his back exposed to the open air, and Hunk blinked up at him, cheeks flushed all the way to crimson, chest rising and falling with his shallow breath. Keith could feel it catching, because he had one hand pressed over Hunk’s heart.

The other was between them, pumping Hunk’s cock in time with the pulsing of his inner walls.

“Please,” he breathed, legitimately begging, now. “I want to. _Please-_ ”

“Me too, baby,” Hunk soothed. He brought both gloved hands in front of his face and pressed the buttons, rendering them sterile. “Condoms,” he said. “Behind me.”

Keith leaned forward and made a grab for the small, steel case Hunk had left on the bedside table. He handed it to Hunk, not bothering to try to undo the fasteners; he was sure his hands were shaking too much. Hunk’s were, too, he noticed, through the haze of sensation and _need_ , but still, Hunk managed to open the case and pull out one of the condoms he’d designed for himself. He’d made some for Keith, too; Keith felt a spasm of pleasure just at the thought, and he didn’t bother resisting the urge to grind his hips down against Hunk’s body, thrusting his cock against Hunk’s belly-

 _“Ah- mh_ \- Keith…”

Hunk blinked, exhaling as he rolled the condom onto his length, pouring lube along his shaft, smoothing it with shaking fingers. “I… I love you.”

Keith sat up on his knees, adjusting until he could feel Hunk’s head pressing up against his opening. “I love you, too,” he said, right before he lowered his hips, taking the whole of Hunk’s length in a single fluid motion.

_“Hhah-!”_

_“Ngh-!”_

Keith shook when he bottomed out, just barely registering the high, breathy sound Hunk made through the haze of blissful fullness he’d been so desperately seeking. He braced his hands on Hunk’s chest, squeezed his eyes shut, and rocked his hips forward, whimpering when he felt himself spasm around Hunk’s cock. He tried it again, and then again, moving instinctively until the sensation reached a new, more manageable plateau – until he could feel his inner walls hugging Hunk’s thickness, _pulsing_ more than _spasming_ – until he felt that some measure of sanity had returned to him.

He opened his eyes.

He took a shuddering breath, touched his palm to Hunk’s cheek, and laughed.

Hunk reached for him, smiling, covering both of his hands with his own.

“Good, baby?”

Keith nodded, feeling like he might cry from the sheer relief of being _full_ , being _close_ , being _here_ , like this, with Hunk. It was like an adrenaline high, though Keith could tell it was being driven by the lovely, throbbing ache between his thighs, and by the immense affection he felt for the person underneath him, _inside_ him…

He bent low and kissed Hunk’s lips. The sound of Hunk’s uneven breathing filled his mind, and when Hunk opened his mouth and licked at his tongue, he felt a throb of pleasure deep inside that made him shudder. Hunk must’ve felt it, too; he exhaled a moan against Keith’s lips and shifted his hips, pressing up into him just enough to send a shiver of sensation toward Keith’s core.

 _“Mh…”_ Hunk’s hands settled onto his body: over his hip, around the curve of his waist. Keith opened his eyes. “Sorry,” Hunk murmured. “I should’ve waited-”

Keith rolled his hips before Hunk could finish the thought, earning himself a high, breathy moan.

“No,” Keith said, his voice hard and gritty. “You feel fucking _incredible._ ”

Hunk blinked, open-mouthed, his chin tipping back as he shuddered. “It… it doesn’t hurt?”

“No, and I- I need to move, now, okay?”

Hunk tightened his hold on his waist and his hip. “Whatever you need, babe.”

Keith leaned down and put his mouth on Hunk’s neck, pressing himself against Hunk’s body, shuddering as his cock dragged against Hunk’s stomach-

 _“I need you,”_ he mumbled between wet, lingering kisses. He rocked his hips; they exhaled together. _“Ah- I- I need you-”_

 _“Keith-”_ Hunk was kissing his neck, his cheek, the corner of his mouth. _“Baby- you feel so good, I- I don’t know how long I can- ahh-”_

_“I know- it’s okay- it’s perfect-”_

Keith pushed himself up, hands braced on Hunk’s chest and shoulder so he could watch Hunk’s face as he started to move. Hunk didn’t disappoint; his head fell back against the pillow, thick lashes fluttering, mouth falling open as Keith _rolled_ his hips… Keith let his head fall forward, arching his spine to deepen the sensation of Hunk’s cock throbbing inside him. He knew he wouldn’t last, either, and it was a relief. The aching pressure was mounting all over again, and he was desperate to know what would happen when it finally broke.

He’d kept himself angled forward, losing himself in the added sensation of his shaft sliding along Hunk’s belly every time he moved… he took his dick in hand and rubbed his head against Hunk’s skin, letting it glide through the precum that had already pooled there.

“Soft,” he breathed, watching Hunk’s belly give way to his cock as he rocked his hips. It seemed like the kind of thing Hunk would want to hear. “Feels so good, Hunk.”

Hunk nodded, gloved fingertips digging into his hips. “You like it?”

“I _love_ it.”

Keith sat up on his knees a bit, leaning forward, letting more of his weight rest on the palm that was braced against Hunk’s shoulder. He _thrusted_ , taking Hunk shallow and then deep, feeling tension settle in his shoulders and hips as Hunk filled him to the brim. He did it again, and then again, settling into a cautious rhythm, watching Hunk gasp and nod every time they came together, letting small, whimpering sounds fall out of his mouth every time he took Hunk deep-

 _“Hh- f-fuck-”_ Keith choked out as the aching pressure reached a new peak. He curled in on himself a bit as his inner walls _squeezed_ around Hunk’s length, and Hunk mumbled a half-articulated curse, holding Keith’s hips so tight that it ached.

“It- _”_ Keith licked his lips, trying to ignore the way his voice broke when he spoke. “It’s not enough, I- _fuck_ \- can you handle more?”

Hunk gave a sharp nod, tapping his hip in an almost-slap. “Whatever you need, babe- c’mon- _”_

Keith took a breath, braced his hand at the center of Hunk’s chest, and fucked down onto his length: sharp, punctuated thrusts that had Hunk’s cock dragging along that fault line of sensitivity, that had Hunk’s head colliding with some throbbing barrier deep inside-

_“HHAH-”_

Keith came with a ragged exhale, almost right away. He didn’t stop, though; he shot all over Hunk’s belly and rode his way through it, reaching another blissful, aching plateau that lasted and lasted even as he snapped his hips, even as he arched his spine and gripped at Hunk’s shoulder and stared at Hunk’s open mouth, aching to sink his teeth into the soft flesh of his lower lip-

“Gonna make you come,” he almost growled, stopping himself from devouring Hunk’s mouth, since Hunk was still gasping and moaning, eyebrows drawn together, gloved hands grasping at Keith’s hips and thighs and ass-

 _“Nhah- KEITH-”_ Hunk choked out, right before Keith felt him buck up into him, hips tense and stuttering. Hunk came with his eyes open, and Keith was glad. Even through the haze of full-body stimulation, he could tell that this was a moment he’d want to remember for the rest of his life, and he hoped that Hunk would, too.

He slowed his pace while Hunk shook, _rocking_ more than _thrusting,_ and as soon as he saw Hunk take in a lungful of air, he kissed him. He was still operating on instinct, still _hungry_ for things he never knew he needed until today, so he sucked on Hunk’s tongue, and bit sharply at his lower lip, and went on rolling his hips, taking Hunk deep until he couldn’t anymore, because Hunk was utterly spent.

They kissed each other after that, too. Hunk sat upright with Keith straddling his lap, making low, quiet sounds while Keith bit at his lips, and the line of his shoulder, and the space under his chin. He kissed wetly down the column of Keith’s neck, taking his time, stopping to nibble along the edge of his collarbone-

 _“Harder,”_ Keith breathed, and Hunk obliged, marring Keith’s pale skin with his teeth before sucking _hard_ on the spot, while Keith nodded and grabbed at his hair. _“Uh huh. Just right. Need to feel you.”_

 _“Mh…”_ Hunk rumbled, letting his teeth drag closer to the base of Keith’s throat. _“Anything for you, babe. Anything.”_

They marked each other up while they came down from the high, losing steam as they went until they were barely brushing their lips together- until Keith’s limbs grew heavy and sluggish from the dissipating adrenaline. He draped his arms around Hunk’s shoulders and sagged in his hold; Hunk combed gloved fingers through his hair.

 _“Keith,”_ he murmured, lips brushing against the back of his neck. _“Guess what.”_

 _“What?”_ Keith practically whispered, his voice sounding breathy and _used._

_“We had sex!”_

Keith giggled. _“Uh huh. How d’you think it went?”_

Hunk held him even closer. _“I think it’s my favorite thing that’s ever happened.”_

Keith sighed, feeling content from his core to every corner of his being- a wholly new experience, thanks to the perfect person he was tangled up with. _“Me too.”_

_“I love you.”_

_“Love you too, Garrett.”_

Hunk lifted his head; they found each other’s eyes.

“Say it again?” Hunk prompted, a smile spreading slowly across his face.

“Garrett,” Keith murmured, hoping it sounded like the private, lovely thing he meant it to be. “I know it’s just your name, but no one else really uses it… maybe it could be special, between us?”

Hunk nodded. “It’s perfect. I love it.” He brought one gloved hand up to cradle the line of Keith’s jaw. “Your body feels okay?”

Keith leaned into his touch, searching for the words that could capture the perfection of this moment, knowing that the whole of spoken language couldn’t do it justice.

“Yeah,” he said. “My body feels just right.”

 


End file.
